Two shoplifters have avoided jail after going on a stealing spree at charity shops in a Black Country town centre.

Tracey Brettle, aged 47, and Christopher Dixon, aged 45, stole clothes from four shops in Stourbridge in an afternoon.

They were both given conditional discharges when they appeared at Dudley Magistrates Court yesterday.

Brettle received 18 months and Dixon 12 months.This means that they will not immediately be punished, but if they re-offend within those periods they will be sentenced for both these crimes and any new offences.

Both pleaded guilty to four counts of shoplifting and Dixon also admitted being in possession of amphetamines.

The small bag of drugs was found in his sock when he was searched at Stourbridge Police Station after being arrested, said Mr Barry Sealeaf, prosecuting.

The pair took a £5 pair of men’s shoes from Happy Staffie Rescue in Market Street, a £1.99 pair of men’s slippers from Scope, also in Market Street, a men’s polo shirt worth £4 from the Cats Protection League in High Street, and men’s trousers costing £33.95 from the Extra Care Charitable Trust in the Crown Centre.

The pair, who are both unemployed, stole the clothes for Brettle’s partner to wear at an appointment the next day with social services over gaining access to his son, said Mrs Amanda Tomkins, defending for Brettle. Dixon lives with Brettle and her partner at the home he owns in Spencer Court, Stourbridge, Mrs Tomkins said.

Staff at the Extra Care shop called the police on December 15 after seeing the pair steal the trousers.

When police arrived, Dixon and Brettle had two carrier bags between them full of the stolen clothes, said Mr Sealeaf.When questioned at the scene, they admitted that they were stolen, he said. Brettle and Dixon appeared separately in court yesterday.

Mr Phillip Haycock, defending for Dixon, told magistrates his client suffered from schizophrenia.