Prolific 24-year-old offender could be jailed after stealing cat food to feed kittens

A 24-year-old faces the prospect of jail once again after stealing cat food to feed the kittens she was babysitting.Cleo Hannabuss, of Duggie Carter Court in North Lynn, was back in the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday after committing the theft at QD Stores earlier this month.She pleaded guilty to stealing the cat food, worth £4.49, and also admitted failing to comply with a community protection notice.

That notice forbids her from asking people for money while loitering around shops and public places. She was in court in July for a similar matter, having pretended to be homeless despite having accommodation.On that occasion, magistrates opted not to activate a suspended sentence which she had breached.Now, however, she is again at risk of being sent to jail after breaching the same order – and magistrates have asked the probation service to carry out an all-options pre-sentence report before they decide Hannabuss’ fate. She will return to court on January 16 to be sentenced, and has been released on unconditional bail.Mitigating, duty solicitor George Sorrell said there “isn’t anything I can say” about Hannabuss’ criminal record of 42 convictions for 94 offences. “It is very sad that she is in this position,” he said.“In recent times this year, she has been given some help. The court has helped her by suspending her suspended sentence order, to give her a chance, and she has had help from colleagues at the back of the court.“So why was she stealing cat food on September 10? Well, they weren’t her cats – they were kittens, really. “She volunteered to look after them. She was short of money at that time. She went to QD and stole two cans of cat food for them.”Addressing Hannabuss asking for money in the town centre, Mr Sorrell added: “This is something which she has done from time to time.“A lot of people wouldn’t mind her asking. There are some who would say she is entitled to ask for money as long as she does it politely. She doesn’t force herself upon people.”The solicitor admitted that Hannabuss’ offending has effectively become her character – with the court hearing that she has been known to the police since the aged of 14. However, Mr Sorrell added that there has been “some positive progress”.He added: “I have been told that just recently she has gone a bit downhill, but there is a reason to hope that can be sorted out and she can turn a corner.“Her main concern at the time was these unfortunate cats, and they deserve to be looked after.“She is a very polite and pleasant person to deal with, and she isn’t really any harm to anybody. She is more of a nuisance.”