An Ipswich woman has been handed a suspended jail sentence after admitting stealing confectionery from Ipswich Co-op stores.

Claire Brown, of Robeck Road in the Suffolk town, appeared before Suffolk Magistrates' Court on April 19.

The 44-year-old was charged with two counts of theft.

The first charge related to £70.97 worth of confectionery being taken from a Co-op in Ipswich on January 17 last year.

The second charge, also for the same day, was for the theft of £175.18 worth of confectionery from Co-op.

A court listing did not specify which Co-op stores the thefts were from.

Brown admitted both offences when appearing before magistrates in Ipswich at an earlier hearing in February.

In the most recent hearing, she was told to pay £70.97 in compensation to Co-op for the first theft and £81.43 for the second incident, meaning she will have to pay out more than £150 to the retailer.

Brown was also handed an eight-week jail term, suspended for 12 months, according to a court listing.