A 43-YEAR-OLD woman’s life spiralled out of control after her partner was allegedly murdered and she was stabbed, a court heard.

Blackburn magistrates was told Anne Margaret West had started drinking to excess because of worry over the pending court case.

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West, of Fawcett Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to two charges of shoplifting and one of making off without paying for a taxi.

She was jailed for a total of 16 weeks after the court was told the new offences put her in breach of a suspended prison sentence.

Charlotte Crane, prosecuting, said one of the thefts was a bottle of wine from McColls Store.

“She got a taxi to the shop, stole the wine and then got back into the taxi,” said Miss Crane. “When the taxi got her to a block of flats she went inside and was never seen again.”

The second theft was from Debenhams and West was detained outside the store and two fragrances worth £118 were recovered.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said the background to the offences was the incident in August when his client’s partner had been killed and she had been stabbed.

“It has had an extremely detrimental effect on her and things have spiralled out of control,” said Mr Taylor. “She was extremely worried and this has lead to her drinking more than she should.”

He said West was now getting help with her drink and drug problems. “She is afraid to live at her own home.”