A PERSISTENT thief who escaped from the cell area of York Police HQ has to go straight for a year, or spend at least four months in jail, a court heard.

Heidi Marie Kwiatkowski, 20, fled through the building and across Fulford Road before pursuers caught her near Wenlock Terrace, said Robert Galley, prosecuting at York Magistrates Court.

They took her back to the custody suite from which she had made her bid for freedom from a waiting area on December 5.

Mother-to-be Kwiatkowski, of Scarcroft Road, York, pleaded guilty to obstructing police, two shop thefts, failure to attend court, and breaching a drug testing and treatment order (DTTO) and asked for three more thefts to be taken into consideration. The court heard she has a long record for theft and other offences.

She was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. She must also pay £125 compensation.

"You clearly deserve to go to prison," district judge Richard Manning told her.

"You are very well-known and there are CCTV cameras in every shop in this city. If you think you can go in and get away with anything, you should think about four months.

"I don't care whether you are to drop the baby in the next day, you will go away. Your future and your baby's future is now in your hands."

He had heard that Kwiatkowski had got away with the stolen items, but had been recognised on CCTV tapes by police afterwards.

Mr Manning also warned Kwiatkowski if she continued to take drugs, her baby will be born an addict and taken away from her because social workers will say she was not a fit person to look after the infant.

Her solicitor, Craig Robertson, said Kwiatkowski had changed her attitude since being remanded in custody in December and becoming pregnant and was now "hitting her problems head- on". She had stolen to fund her heroin habit and was now on methadone.

The court heard that, with others, Kwiatkowski stole four boxes of washing powder worth £10.80 from Jackson's Scarcroft Road store and six computer games worth £239.94 from Comet, at Monks Cross.

The DTTO was imposed last August for two thefts and three offences of skipping bail.

Updated: 14:35 Tuesday, February 08, 2005