21 June 2011 Last updated at 11:44 ET

Essex Tesco bin food raid woman gets conditional discharge

A woman who received food stolen from a bin at a Tesco store in Essex has been given a conditional discharge.

Sasha Hall, 22, claimed dozens of people raided the bin outside the Tesco Express store in Great Baddow following a power failure on 29 January.

But she denied theft, at Chelmsford Crown Court, and instead admitted handling stolen goods.

She told the court that a bag full of food had been delivered to her flat above the store by a friend.

The court heard how store managers had bagged up about £10,000 of food, including ham, pies and potato waffles, spoiled after a power cut.

Hall, who worked part-time at another supermarket in Chelmsford, also admitted possession of cannabis. A count of theft was left to lie on file.

Judge Rodger Hayward Smith gave her a 12-month conditional discharge.