TWO friends who went on an impromptu shoplifting spree for Christmas presents were described as “particularly foolish” by their solicitor before he pleaded with the court to give them “the benefit of the doubt”.

Emma Stothard and Danielle Webb both pleaded guilty to thefts – worth almost £600 – from four city centre shops during a trip to Worcester on November 7, having travelled from near Dudley.

During a hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court on December 7, prosecutor Kate Tompkins said the two women were stopped by security at Debenhams, where items from various shops were discovered in their bags.

Mrs Tompkins said the pair went into the Crowngate department store at around 11.10am and “removed packaging and security tags” from bottles of fragrance.

Their spree had already seen them target Fat Face – in which more than £340-worth of clothes had been taken – as well as Clintons, Claire’s Accessories and Ann Summers.

She said they had later admitted to police that they had taken the items to give as Christmas presents.

David Bratt, defending, said “there was no great planning” involved prior to the thefts which showed a “lack of sophistication”.

He said they had both come to Worcester to go shopping and “took an opportunity”.

“They got away with it once and haven’t been found out and so they did it again and again.

“Both admitted the thefts to officers at the scene. They co-operated with police and police co-operated with them,” he said.

“It is going to be an expensive day,” he added.

Mrs Stothard, of Brierley Hill, and Mrs Webb, of Stourbridge, were both given a 12-month conditional discharge. They were also each ordered to pay £135 in court costs, as well as a victim surcharge of £20, and a total of £100 compensation to Ann Summers.