A PROLIFIC criminal is back behind bars after attacking a shop worker with a bottle when she was stopped from stealing booze.
Joanne Igo grabbed the woman by the throat before swinging the bottle at her head as she and her co-accused were being escorted from the Sainsbury’s shop.
A judge warned Igo she would wind up dead if she didn’t address her drug and alcohol issues as he jailed her latest round of offences.
The 42-year-old, who has almost 100 convictions for 291 offences, including 148 for theft or similar, was arrested at the scene and police recovered five bottles of alcohol from a bag.
Teesside Crown Court heard how an arrest warrant was issued for her co-defendant, Peter Duckling, after he failed to attend his sentencing hearing.
Read more: Row over stolen money ended with drug addict slashing partner with knife
Jon Harley, prosecuting, said Igo and Duckling targeted the Sainsbury’s store in Stockton when they started loading the booze in a trolley bag before being confronted by a member of staff.
He added: “Igo became aggressive and grabbed a bottle of alcohol before grabbing the woman’s throat with her other hand and trying to swing the bottle at her head.
“She didn’t make contact but did leave a red mark on her neck.”
Mr Harley said the defendant had previous convictions for robbery and shoplifting.
The court heard how Igo had convictions for punching and spitting at security staff among her lengthy record of 291 offences.
Igo, of Norton Road, Stockton, pleaded guilty to two charges of robbery from May 2020 and a further two of shoplifting where she was caught stealing in Redcar on March 16 this year.
Michele Turner, mitigating, said her client’s life had been severely impacted by her drug addiction and had lived a troubled life.
Judge Jonathan Carroll warned Igo she needed to ‘pull herself round’ to keep out of prison.
“You are in many ways a vulnerable woman, you have suffered significant trauma in your life; you are heavily dependent on drugs and alcohol; you have continuing emotional challenges, and you live in this cycle of offending,” he said.
“The trouble is that when you commit these offences you readily resort to threats of violence or actual violence.”
Sentencing her to a total of 33 months, he added: “There will come a time in your life when your drug and alcohol will either kill you or you will put it behind you.”
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