A drunk woman who entered a family home and stole their beloved French Bulldog has avoided a custodial jail term.

Corallena Loveridge appeared at Preston Crown Court via video link from HMP Styal, where she has been on remand for the last four months over a bail act offence.

The 32-year-old brazenly entered a property on Moorland Avenue in Blackburn on May 9, 2021, and took the dog, called Georgia, before leaving, and selling it for drugs money.

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The court heard how the owner of the home, Julie Lightbrown, had been present in the house at the time, along with her children, when Loveridge went into the property, walked upstairs where Ms Lightbrown was, had an altercation with the victim, then took the dog and left.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting said: “She put the dog in a taxi and left the property.

“In December, she then called the victim and said the dog had had puppies and was somewhere in Leeds.

“She said she would try and get the dog back but that never happened.”

A victim personal statement was read to the court, which said: “Georgia was our family pet. She was two and a half years old and was in season.

“I bought her for my children and she cost £2,500. It’s not about the value, however, it appears she was taken to be sold.

“The stress this has caused my children is huge and we are still suffering now, concerned about her welfare.

“Corallena Loveridge entered my house and took her and advised me that she would get her back but it’s not happened.”

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Judge Simon Medland said: “The dog was taken to be turned into money and then turned into drugs – who knows what has happened to her now.

“There’s a considerable seriousness to this and it crosses custody threshold but it took the CPS and police a year to charge her.

“You, Corallena Loveridge must understand this behaviour is serious and has had a big impact.

“They do not know what has become of their dog, they don’t know whether she’s happy and healthy, dead, in trouble, or being used for breeding.

“This is not an offence you would have committed if you had been sober. You were intoxicated and a drug addict at the time.”

Loveridge, of Fowler Height Close, Blackburn, has 15 convictions for 28 offences, and was handed a 14 month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, ordered to carry out 20 rehabilitation activity days and six months of drug rehabilitation.

She was also jailed for two weeks suspended for 18 months in respect of the bail act offence.