A SHOPLIFTER caught stealing ice cream from a store attacked the manager with a pair of tweezers.

While Idelle Lever’s partner was paying for goods at the till in Iceland, Farnworth on October 17 last year she was slipping £30 worth of ice cream, crisps and biscuits into her own bag.

Bolton Crown Court heard Lever refused to open her bag when challenged by the Brackley Street store manager.

Brian Berlyne, prosecuting, said: “He grabbed the bag but Miss Lever then produced, what he thought was, a screwdriver and jabbed it into his hand twice.”

He was not injured, Lever, aged 34, of Ellesmere Walk, Farnworth, ran off and was later identified from CCTV.

The court heard that the weapon the mother-of-one had used was found to be tweezers which she had in her pocket.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson, was told that she had been drinking and smoking cannabis at the time and that the offence was committed on impulse. Lever was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months and must do 100 hours unpaid work.