A THIEF has been fined for stealing from Tesco.

Lavina Ilie, 27, of Suffolk Street in Gorse Hill, stole goods of a value unknown from the Ocotal Way supermarket on June 19, then returned to steal more goods worth £217.52 on June 23.

She pleaded guilty to both thefts when she appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said: "She was in Tesco with her fiancé, filled a trolley with food and went to the self-service till.

"She scanned the items, put them in bags, then the fiancé walked out of the shop.

"She puts a card to the machine but no payment is made and she takes the goods, which are not recovered.

"She is with a different man on the 23rd.

"They have been detained by security staff who saw them taking a trolley full of goods out without paying.

"The goods are recovered.

"In interview, she said she had intentionally stolen the goods and had done it before.

"The man she was with on the 23rd had told the couple it was easy to steal from Tesco and was going to show them how.

"She said she was sorry and knew what she did was wrong."

Mark Glendenning, defending, said: "The food was to tide them over for a few weeks as she wasn't working and her fiancé had just started a new job but hadn't received his first paycheck yet."

Ilie was fined £100 plus £85 in costs and £30 to victim services.