30 Weeks in prison for stealing and breaching a Community Behaviour Order

A woman of no fixed abode has been sentenced to 30 weeks in prison after a relentless crime spree across Telford that saw her repeatedly ignore court orders designed to keep her away from local shops.

Nicola Jeffries, 44, appeared before Telford Magistrates’ Court on 2 March 2026 for a first hearing regarding 13 separate offences. The charges included multiple counts of shoplifting and repeated breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) that had been imposed by the same court in June 2025.

The court heard that Jeffries had targeted several well-known businesses across the borough between October 2025 and February 2026. Her thefts included:

• Co-op, Stirchley: Stealing chocolates and alcohol on multiple occasions.
• Boots, Wellington: Taking cosmetic items valued at £35.
• Just for Pets: Stealing a dog bed and various other items.
• TG Jones: Stealing a book and a travel mug.

The total value of the items recovered or identified ranged from small amounts to a single haul of chocolate worth £85.

Beyond the thefts, Jeffries was charged with seven counts of breaching her Criminal Behaviour Order. The court was told she had been specifically prohibited from entering certain retail premises and areas, including Telford Shopping Centre and the Boots store in Wellington.

Despite these legal restrictions, Jeffries was caught entering the prohibited zones and shops on numerous dates, including a breach on 27 February 2026—just days before her court appearance.

Magistrates took Jeffries’ guilty pleas into account but determined that the sheer volume of offences made a custodial sentence unavoidable.

The court record stated that the offences were “so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified,” citing Jeffries’ status as a “prolific offender.”

In total, she was handed a 30-week prison sentence. This was comprised of several five-week terms for the CBO breaches, some to run consecutively, and six-week terms for the thefts to run concurrently. She was also ordered to pay £25 in compensation to the Co-op.