A prolific thief has pleaded guilty to robbing a woman of cash in Burnley.

Rebecca Oxley, 48, appeared at Burnley Crown Court via video link from prison charged with the offence.

On December 10, 2023, she robbed Anne Chippendale of cash in the town.

Her barrister, James Heyworth, invited Judge Daniel Prowse to adjourn sentencing so a psychiatric report could be composed, and so the sentencing judge “has a full picture around her extensive mental health background.”

The Judge ordered the report to be completed by April 5, with a sentencing date set for April 23.

He told Oxley, of no fixed abode but formerly of Smith Street, Nelson and Thorn Street in Burnley: “You have pleaded guilty so will need to be sentenced.

"The earliest available date is April 23, so you will be produced at Crown court for that.

“It is very much in your interest to cooperate in the production of the psychiatric report.

“All options, including immediate custody, remain open.”

Oxley was remanded into custody to await sentencing.

She has previous convictions for similar offences, including in March 2022 when she went into a 92-year-old man’s home and took cash to buy drugs for herself and her mother.

On that occasion, she had been so desperate she was trying to sell the pensioner her clothes in a bid to raise funds.

Oxley took a small amount of change from the man’s kitchen when she walked into the house uninvited.

In 2012, Oxley was jailed for four years when she pulled then 75-year-old Irene Bracewell to the floor and tried to run away with her purse during an incident in Nelson.

Oxley had approached the woman asking for change but when she declined, she lunged for the purse and dragged Ms Bracewell over.

At that time, she had 58 previous convictions, mostly for theft, including robbing a 60-year-old man and robbing a distant relative’s purse.

Oxley will return to court on April 23 to be sentenced.