Darlington woman went on crime spree to fund drug addiction

Rachel Watt’s drug-induced offending was described as ‘bizarre’ when she appeared before a judge charged with two burglaries and a theft – all carried out to fund her addiction.

The 41-year-old also preyed on a disabled former neighbour by pestering him to let her into his flat before stealing food.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the man’s carers found Watt asleep on his sofa after taking a shower and rifling through his drawers.

The defendant carried out a third burglary when she targeted a flat in the Friends School Yard building in Darlington town centre.

Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said the first burglary occurred when Watt walked into a house on Shakespeare Road, Darlington, and helped herself to a taste of some bath bombs and fishing bait all while a young male was asleep on the sofa.

Police found the defendant hidden in the corner of the front room when they were alerted to her suspicious behaviour.

He added: “When the owner came home, she found a bag with needles left inside and two bath bombs which were partially eaten.

“A bag of fishing bait had also been opened and eaten.”

Mr Lonsdale said the defendant targeted her vulnerable former neighbour in January this year when she stole his food and refused to leave his flat until the carers arrived.

He said: “The man told her to go away but the defendant ignored him. She took some of his food, had a shower and then fell asleep on the sofa.”

The Darlington woman's final offence occurred at the flat in the Friends School Yard building on May 11 this year.

Mr Lonsdale said the defendant conned her way into the flat of the vulnerable pensioner and had carried out a brief search of the home before leaving empty-handed.

Rachel Watt (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Watt, of Parkgate, Darlington, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and one of theft.

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Mark Styles, in mitigation, said it was ‘quite extraordinary’ the levels to which his client had sunk due to her two-decade-long drug addiction.

He said: “She says that she has had enough of her horrible existence and what a horrible existence it was, sofa surfing at times and out on the streets at other times.”

Judge Chris Smith locked up the prolific offender for a total of 20 months for the three offences committed after she went on a crime spree to fund her addiction.

He said: “Burglaries of houses are always serious because you are going into someone’s private space and you are stealing their belongings but you also take from them the safety they feel in their own home.”