A 37-year-old drug addict has been jailed for persistently stealing confectionery and alcohol from Ballarat's small businesses.
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Kathleen Bryant cried continuously in the Ballarat Magistrates Court dock during her plea hearing on Wednesday.
The mother-of-two and a co-accused targeted small businesses across Ballarat, including Delacombe Mini Mart, Creswick's Foodworks, Wendouree Aldi and Pleasant Street's Ryan’s IGA supermarket.
From January to April 2018, Bryant stole chocolate bars and alcohol with one theft at Ryan’s IGA supermarket on March 18 totaling $142.
After stealing a packet of cough lozenges and two chocolate bars from the Delacomber Mini Mart on March 27, the store owner followed Bryant and her co-accused to a Smythes Road address.
The owner then returned to the store to view the CCTV footage to confirm their identity before contacting police.
The pair were arrested at the address a short time later.
The court was told Bryant stole the confectionery to give to her children.
After serving four months in jail for other offending, Bryant handed herself into the Ballarat Police Station on December 31 for a number of outstanding warrants.
She was arrested and taken into custody.
Magistrate Ron Saines told Bryant her offending was aggravated because she was on appeal bail, bail for other offences and a community corrections order at the time.
"This is serious for you because it's persistent and occurred while you were on appeal bail," Mr Saines said.
He described the CCO breach as high level because Bryant had reoffended and not complied with the order.
The court was told Bryant was facing many difficulties but she did have supports in place, including from her mother and VACRO (Victorian Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders).
Bryant was sentenced to two months in jail, and with 16 days declared already served, she will be released in about five weeks.
The 12-month CCO she breached was varied to start again on Wednesday.
Bryant pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing from a shop and two bail offences and breaching a CCO.
If she had not pleaded guilty, Mr Saines said she would have received three months imprisonment.