A recovering drug addict desperate to keep a roof over her head stole baby milk to pay her rent, a court heard.   

Tanya Todorova stole six tubs of Aptamil baby formula from a Tesco store in High Road, Leyton, on May 1.  

Thames Magistrates Court was yesterday told the 34-year-old, of Leather Gardens in Stratford, hid the tubs worth £60 in two bags.  

But she was apprehended by security guards as soon as she left the store. 

During a police interview, she told officers she stole the items to sell them for £25 and pay her rent, prosecutor Bandana Batra said.  

A blood test at Leyton custody suite found opiates in her system.  

Alex Darke, mitigating, said Todorova was taking heroin substitute methadone.  

She continued: "My client had fallen on hard times.  

"Her boyfriend had lost his job and she had fallen back into her old ways."  

The 34-year-old, who originates from Bulgaria, was given a two-year conditional discharge for shoplifting in September.   

She was granted unconditional bail ahead of sentencing on Thursday (May 21). 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:  

Tanya Todorova stole six tubs of Aptamil baby formula from a Tesco store in High Road, Leyton.