A DRUG addict has been sentenced to eight months in a young offenders’ institution after admitting committing a series of thefts and assaults on shop staff.

Kelsey Brown, of Hilda Street, Leigh, spat at staff and threatened them with needles.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to assaulting a man and a woman in Tyldesley on Wednesday when she appeared before Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Brown also admitted assaulting two men in Atherton on August 8 and another two men in the town on July 21.

Her shoplifting offences saw her steal meat from Aldi in Tyldesley on Wednesday and on August 10, four bottles of vodka worth £56 from The Bacca Shop, £54 worth of bacon from McColl's convenience store and £37 worth of washing-up liquid from Quality Save in Atherton on August 8 and razor blades worth £48 from Lloyds Pharmacy in the town on July 13.

She committed the offences while subject to a community order with a drug treatment requirement.

Brown also committed offences while subject to post sentence supervision.

She was given the community order last July for drug possession offences.

The bench took into account Brown’s appalling record of offending when sentencing her on Friday.

On top of her eight-month sentence she has to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

Lyndsey Potts, of Devonshire Road, Atherton, admitted stealing two flower pots worth £40 in the town on November 11.

The 35-year-old also pleaded guilty to fraud, withdrawing money from a cash machine without the card holder’s consent, in Atherton between last August 18 and December 30.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Potts is set to return to the court for sentencing on September 7.

William Ollerton, of Sunningdale Grove, Leigh, failed to turn up in court in answer to bail and in his absence he was found guilty of causing £1,800 worth of criminal damage on September 4.

The 41-year-old had pleaded not guilty.

A warrant was issued for Ollerton’s arrest.

Adam Piorkowski, of Spa Road, Atherton, was conditionally discharged for six months after admitting intentionally avoiding paying a £2.10 rail ticket on May 3.

The 32-year-old was ordered to pay £2.10 compensation, £80 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.