A PROLIFIC thief more than six months pregnant faces imprisonment after pleading guilty to shop lifting.

Thomasina Brennan, 23, of Trowley Rise, Abbots Langley, unplugged a £450 DVD player from a shop in The Harlequin and walked out with it Watford magistrates heard on Monday.

Brennan has at least 15 convictions for similar offences and is in breach of a community punishment order.

She was arrested outside the Westgate department store after the theft on Tuesday, March 11, and confessed to police.

Mrs Margaret Mascarenhas, prosecuting, said: "She went to the electrical department, removed the lead from the DVD and was followed outside.

"The item was recovered and she admitted fully at the police station."

Chairman of the magistrates Mrs Jennifer Parker said in deciding how to deal with Brennan they would be taking into account the previous convictions from number 15 onwards.

Brennan's defence asked for a full pre-sentence report before sentencing.

He said his client has a lengthy list of previous convictions, but that a report compiled with the probation service would show "there were some circumstances which compelled her to commit this offence".

Brennan had failed to turn up to two previous hearings, but her defence asked for charges under the bail act to be adjourned to obtain medical certificates because she had been in hospital at the time.

Brennan was released on unconditional bail until Tuesday, June 17 and told to provide medical evidence to back her claim she was in hospital when she should have been in court.