A WOMAN who suffered a seizure outside the hostel where she was living came round to find her personal possessions had been stolen.

Blackburn magistrates heard Donna Louise Astin had just received her benefits and they had been taken along with everything else she had on her.

And the court heard she reverted to old ways of shoplifting to resolve her plight.

Astin, 40, of the Salvation Army Hostel, Heaton Street, pleaded guilty to theft of fragrances worth £346 from Debenhams on January 20, theft of fragrances worth £208 from the same store on January 24 and theft of two pairs of shoes from the Cancer Research charity shop on February 10.

She was made subject to a curfew for four weeks between 7pm and 6am and ordered to pay £90 victim surcharge.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said on each occasion Astin was stopped and the property recovered. Mark Williams, defending, said his client had a criminal record which ended in 2014 and had been related to her abuse of drugs.

“She has put her drug-related offending behind her and moved on,” said Mr Williams.

“At the end of last year a long-term relationship broke down and as a result of that she lost her home and ended up in the Salvation Army hostel.”

Mr Williams said she suffered a fit outside the hostel and when she came round her belongings, including her benefits, had been stolen. That left her without money and while her mother has been able to help her with paying for her accommodation there was nothing for anything else,” said Mr Williams.

“Hopefully this blip will pass and when her money comes through again she will return to managing on her benefits.”