A WOMAN is serving an eight month jail sentence after spitting on a shop assistant with the threat that she had coronavirus.

Angela Thornton, 47, of Valley Drive, Ilkley, was locked up at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to shoplifting from Booths supermarket in the town and assaulting a member of staff.

The court heard on March 27 that Thornton stole bottles of spirits, a jar of coffee and a pack of razors together worth £230 from the store on March 3.

The Bench ruled that the offence was aggravated by her previous convictions; disregard for court orders and the fact that she spat on a shop assistant with the threat that she had aids and coronavirus.

Thornton also admitted stealing bottles of spirits valued at £150 from the store on February 25 and stealing alcohol worth £208 from there on January 7.

The court heard she was on bail when she committed the March offences and failed to surrender to the court on March 23. She was also in breach of a conditional discharge for 12 months imposed November 26 last year by Bradford magistrates for two offences of theft. Thornton stole meat to the value of £80 from Sainsbury’s in Bradford and men’s clothing valued at £150 from Peacocks in Bradford.

She was jailed for 18 weeks for the offences on March 3 with 18 weeks to run consecutively for the earlier thefts.

Earlier this week, a Huddersfield woman was jailed after spitting at police officers in Bradford.