Sold off friend's jewellery collection 'bit by bit'

Adele Christie, of Tarragon House, pleaded guilty to the callous theft when she appeared from custody in February of this year.

She also admitted a separate charge of shoplifting two bottles of vodka from the Tullibody Co-op.

The 30-year-old had then been required to attend Alloa Sheriff Court for sentencing on a handful of occasions since, but failed to show on at least two occasions.

When she finally appeared in the dock on Thursday (9 July) the scale of her entrenched offending was uncoverered.

The court heard that throughout January this year Christie had been selling off pieces of the complainer’s jewellery – including an engagement ring and wedding band – to pawnbrokers in Stirling and Clackmannanshire.

However, an investigation from the Advertiser has revealed that she sold two stolen rings just days before she was admonished at Alloa Sheriff Court for six unrelated theft charges.

She was finally locked up last week after appearing before Sheriff David Mackie, at the third time of asking.

He told her that he would need up-to-date criminal justice social work reports to sentence her for the vodka and jewellery thefts, and, in the meantime, she would be placed on remand to ensure the reports are carried out.

Prior to his ruling, the court heard that Christie had abused her mother’s close relationship with the complainer to swipe the expensive jewels from her home sometime between 1 January and 21 February of this year.

Depute fiscal Alison Montgomery said that Christie’s mother kept a key to her neighbour’s house and that she was considered to be “like family” to one another.

She said: “The complainer had an extensive jewellery collection and, due to the value of it, she kept it in a jewellery box in her bedroom.” She added that some time in January Christie was spotted in the driveway of the complainer’s home, which was unsual as “she would have no reason to be there”.

Ms Montgomery said that on 12 January, Christie entered a pawnbrokers and sold off a number of items for £150.

She later attended Ramsden’s in Stirling where she pawned a diamond ring for £160 before she then sold two other rings for £100 elsewhere on 18 January.

Ms Montgomery then told the court: “At the end of January, the mother of the accused saw a receipt from Ramsdens in the accused’s handbag. Her mother challenged her and the accused said she had pawned a ring given to her by a former partner.

“On 21 February, the complainer opened her jewellery box and noted that it was completely empty.” Following plea negotiations, Christie admitted to stealing just seven items of jewellery, though it is believed the missing collection was much larger.

On 29 January, just 11 days after pawning rings at Ramsdens, Christie appeared before a sheriff in Alloa and convinced the court that she had removed herself from an offending lifestyle and was now focused on her duties as a mother.

Her defence agent noted a social work report to that effect and, as a result, she was admonished of six theft offences, while remaining under court supervision for another matter.

Within a few weeks, she appeared from custody again, having been arrested for stealing two bottles of vodka from the Tullibody Co-op on 11 February.

However, when she stood before Sheriff David Mackie last Thursday, he appeared to have run out of patience and ordered that she be placed on remand for the completion of social work reports.

He reasoned that her inability to explain her failure to appear and the nature of her most recent offence, compelled him to deny her liberty while those reports were being conducted.

The sheriff said: “I do require to obtain criminal justice social work reports before dealing with this. And while this is being done you will be remanded in custody.

“This is because it has been very difficult getting you to court. The warrant issued today is the second we have issued for non-appearance. You say you have a medical certificate, which the court has never seen.

“But, more importantly, I have heard today of a matter relating to a theft from a house.

“This was a breach of trust of a most serious kind and involved a very cynical retention of these items in which you pawned off bit by bit to keep you going in cash.”