A woman from Colchester has been sentenced after admitting stealing items from two stores in Ipswich.

Sharne Hughes, of Duffield Drive in the north Essex city, was charged with two counts of theft from a shop, both relating to April 18 this year.

Hughes, 39, appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court where she admitted the offences.

The first charge related to the theft of personal and food items, worth a total value of £17, from Poundland in Sailmakers shopping centre.

The second charge was for the theft of food items and wine worth £53.19 from Morrisons Daily, also in the shopping centre.

Hughes was handed a community order and told to comply with the instructions of a responsible officer for a period of one year.

She was also told to complete 40 hours of unpaid work, pay Crown Prosecution Service costs of £85 and surcharge of £114 - with an application made to deduct the sums from her benefits.

Hughes' guilty pleas to the charges were taken into account by magistrates when she was sentenced.