Shoplifting mums fail to get prison sentences overturned

York magistrates jailed Razwana Ahmed, 39, Nazia Haq, 38, and Nargis Nroeen, 31, after hearing how they travelled 80 miles from their Blackburn homes to steal clothing worth £2,379 from Hugo Boss at the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet.

All three appealed to York Crown Court where their case was heard on their eighth day behind bars.

Their barrister Andrew Petterson said Haq had six children, including a three-year-old with “significant medical problems”, Ahmed had four including one with epilepsy and two with learning difficulties and Nroeen had two, the oldest of whom was five.

“Consideration could be given now to the imposition of a suspended sentence, given they have now had their first unpleasant experience of a custodial environment,” he said.

Judge Paul Worsley QC, sitting with two magistrates, took two minutes to dismiss their appeal.

“It was organised, carefully planned shoplifting,” he said. “We regard the sentence imposed as a lenient one, not harsh.”

He said the three had all been given a community order for similar large-scale shoplifting from Boundary Mill shopping centre in Colne, Lancashire, five weeks before they travelled to York.

“That was the time to say ‘we mustn’t commit any offence which would put us in jeopardy of going to prison’. That sadly they have now done,” he said.

Ahmed, Haq and Nroeen, all of Saunders Road, Blackburn, admitted theft before York magistrates on October 23. After they were given their prison sentence, they tried and failed to get bail pending appeal.

Matthew Collins, for the Crown, said staff at the York centre’s Hugo Boss store became suspicious when they saw the three trying on men’s clothes at 2pm on Sunday, May 20.

They tracked them and alerted police who stopped them making their getaway in a Toyota Avensis. The trio had stolen Hugo Boss clothes worth £2,379 at shop prices and a security de-tagging tool.

Staff found many discarded security tags back at the shop.