TWO women stole chicken from a supermarket and sold it for half the price to fund their heroin addictions, a court heard.

Nicola Ludgate, 37, and Dawn Mitchinson, 47, both of West Moor Road, Darlington, appeared before the town’s magistrates yesterday (Tuesday, February 26) jointly charged with theft following the offence, which took place on Valentine’s Day this year.

Blair Martin, prosecuting, said the pair had stolen the chicken, worth £12, from an Asda supermarket, which they later sold for about £6 and split the proceeds between them to pay for their addictions.

They were also charged with a further theft offence after they were caught stealing almost £70 worth of coffee and deodorant from the same supermarket the day after.

The pair admitted both offences, which put Ludgate in breach of a six-month community order imposed only hours before the first offence took place.

She was handed a conditional discharge for six months and ordered to pay £6 compensation to Asda.

Mitchinson, who has more than 100 convictions for dishonesty, was released on conditional bail and will appear on Thursday, March 7 for sentencing to allow the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report.

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