Two Hartlepool women with 'worst records' judge has seen are jailed at Teesside Crown Court after burglary of family home

Claire Bartholomew, 40, entered the house in Lister Street, Hartlepool, and stole a woman’s purse containing bank cards and £200 cash.

The victim’s husband was upstairs at the time with their daughter and his wife had just left to take their son swimming.

Bartholomew then quickly tried to use the stolen bank cards with Nicola Masson to buy cigarettes in a local shop.

Teesside Crown Court heard each women have terrible records dating back 20 years. They were jailed for a year each.

Masson, 41, of Rydal Street, Hartlepool, has hundreds of offences recorded against her.

The judge, Recorder David Brooke, said: “I don’t think I can think of a case where I have seen more convictions for two women.”

Bartholomew was said to be looking for places to burgle on October 19 last year when she committed the offence.

Prosecutor Nigel Soppitt said: “The victim was at home with his daughter. They were upstairs and he heard the front door opening and closing.”

He thought it might be his wife returning, but half an hour later he went downstairs and saw his wife’s purse missing.

One of the stolen bank cards was blocked before Bartholomew and Masson were able to use another one to buy cigarettes from a shop.

Masson was on bail at the time for shoplifting in B&M at Billingham on September 26 when she was caught on CCTV stealing goods worth £217.

She admitted theft plus handling stolen goods of the stolen bank card, and fraud jointly with Bartholomew, who also pleaded guilty to burglary.

Annelise Haugstad, mitigating, for Bartholomew, of Jackson Street, Hartlepool, said she had got into a cycle of short sentences which leave her vulnerable.

Stephen Constantine, for Masson, said she committed the crimes in order to survive and had made “strenuous efforts” to keep out of trouble.

Jailing them both for 12 months, Recorder Brooke said: “You both have to realise that your offending has an impact on society.”

Addressing Bartholomew for the burglary, he added: “That family will be worried now about any noise they hear somebody may come into their house.

"It’s inevitable.”