A woman battling drug and alcohol addiction chillingly threatened to cut a shop manager's throat with a knife during a "brazen" shoplifting spree at a supermarket. Serial offender Kirsty Gardiner was spotted returning to the same store a few weeks later, but she was quickly identified by police from CCTV images, Hull Crown Court heard .

Gardiner, 42, of Staveley Road, east Hull, admitted robbery on May 26 and theft on June 20. The theft charge was initially charged as robbery, but the plea to the lesser offence was accepted.

Prosecutor Billy Torbett said that Gardiner visited the Cooperative store on the Elmbridge Parade of shops, Greatfield estate, east Hull, and began placing items into a bag. She was confronted by the shop manager before she could exit, but Gardiner brandished a k

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