COURT staff had to use a defendant’s own copy of the charges against her, because police had not sent them to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Zoe Bell, 29, appeared before Swindon magistrates to plead guilty to stealing booze, meat, dashboard cameras and a pair of hair straighteners from Wiltshire supermarkets.

She also admitted making off without paying a £28 taxi fare and failing to surrender to the court for an earlier hearing.

The offences were committed while she was subject to a post sentence supervision order, after she served a three month prison spell earlier this year.

But the case could only go ahead on Saturday morning because Bell, who is homeless, was able to hand over to court staff the charge sheet she had been given by police officers.

Defending, Mark Glendenning said Bell had stolen so she could buy the necessities needed to survive on the streets. She appeared before magistrates fully expecting to be sent back to prison.

Magistrates sentenced her to a total of 39 weeks in prison. She must also pay £28 compensation to the taxi driver and an £87 victim surcharge.