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A prolific shoplifter from Lincoln has been jailed after repeatedly breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and continuing to target shops across the city centre.
Emma Hought, 41, of Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln, has been sentenced to 52 weeks in prison and ordered to pay £906.05 in compensation following 22 offences committed at a number of retail premises in Lincoln.
Hought pleaded guilty to 13 counts of shop theft and nine breaches of her Criminal Behaviour Order.
She was made subject to the CBO at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on 16 June 2026.
A Criminal Behaviour Order is designed to tackle the most serious and persistent anti-social behaviour. It places enforceable restrictions on an individual's actions and movements, helping to protect businesses and communities from repeat offending.
Breaching a CBO is a criminal offence and can result in a custodial sentence. In the most serious cases, offenders can face up to five years in prison.
Hought's order prohibited her from entering any retail premises in Lincoln, with the exception of Iceland on Lincoln High Street and Newland Pharmacy. She was clearly informed that any breach of the order would constitute a criminal offence and could result in imprisonment and/or a fine.
Despite this, Hought repeatedly ignored the restrictions placed upon her and continued to commit shop thefts.
Officers from Lincoln Neighbourhood Policing Team worked to gather evidence of the further offences and breaches, building a case that brought Hought back before Lincoln Magistrates' Court on 4 August 2026.
At court, she pleaded guilty to 22 offences and was sentenced to 52 weeks' imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay £906.05 in compensation, reflecting the total value of goods stolen from businesses between June and July 2026 while the CBO was in force. The compensation must be paid in full by 1 September 2027. 
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