A SHOPLIFTER who used her child in a pushchair as a decoy for her crimes walked free from court even though a judge told her she deserved to be jailed.

Judge Howard Crowson described Marcela Dotkova as a professional thief and said she was being spared jail only because of her recent efforts to address her personal problems.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 25-year-old mother-of-two had a string of previous convictions in Peterborough before she moved to the North-East several years ago.

In August and September, she struck at four different stores in Middlesbrough town centre and stole nappies, food, jewellery and two pairs of boots, prosecutor David Crook said.

On one occasion, she gave police a false name and address to hide her prolific past, and was given a caution - only for officers to later learn of her true identity when she stole again.

Dotkova, of Garnet Street, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to four charges of theft and one of perverting the course of justice, and was given a 16week suspended prison sentence.

Judge Crowson told her: "If it had not been for your efforts recently and the support you are now accepting, and continue to accept, I would not have suspended this sentence.

"I intended to send you to prison. There is no doubt at all inmymind that you deserve it because you have regularly been before the courts since 2005 for stealing from shops."

Rachel Dyson, inmitigation, said Dotkova stole the items to sell because she was desperate formoney to send to hermother in Slovakiawhere her brother needed an operation.