A WOMAN stole a Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal collection box from Mcdonald's in Kendal.

Nicole Pepper was too scared of her mother’s disapproval to take it home, a court heard.

Pepper, 20, wept as she was sentenced at South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to the theft of the charity box.

The court heard Pepper had committed the crime on an impulse while she was in McDonald’s, in Stricklandgate, Kendal, on November 2.

Nicola Corney, prosecuting, said CCTV footage had captured Pepper taking the box.

Miss Corney said: “She said she had used a lighter to break the string holding the tin to the counter. She hid the tin in some bushes instead of taking it home as she felt her mother, in particular, would disapprove.

“When she returned to the bush she found it wasn’t there and the box has never been recovered. No-one knows how much was in the collection and the money hasn’t made its way to the charity.”

In mitigation Jackie Partington said Pepper had not gone into the McDonald’s restaurant intending to take the box, but it had been a “split second decision”.

She added Pepper, of Nobles Place, Kendal, had been struggling with an addiction to over-the-counter and prescription drugs at the time, which had led to the offence.

“She is disgusted with her own behaviour,” said Mrs Partington.

“Her life has been affected quite dramatically by the addiction to prescription painkillers and she wasn’t originally getting any help with that.”

However, Pepper had now sought professional help with her drug problem, Mrs Partington added.

Magistrates sentenced Pepper to a community order with a 12 month supervision requirement. She was also ordered to carry out work with the Cumbria Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Intervention service and given a 12 week curfew between the hours of 9pm and 7am.

In addition she was ordered to pay £85 costs, a victim surcharge of £60 and £35 compensation to the Royal British Legion.