A serial thief from Bordon who also assaulted a police officer after being caught drink-driving is facing a hefty spell behind bars.

Rachel Cole will be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court in February after racking up 26 offences in just six months.

They include 20 counts of shoplifting with goods totalling several thousand pounds being stolen from stores and supermarkets around East Hampshire, Surrey and Hart.

Liphook Sainsbury’s, B&M Bordon, Tesco Fleet and the Tesco, Waitrose and M&S branches in Haslemere were targeted between July 4 and December 12.

The court heard that Cole also assaulted an emergency worker after the unfit driver crashed her car in Bramley, near Guildford, on October 29, and failed to surrender bail on four occasions with Hampshire police issuing a “wanted” statement at one point.

The 44-year-old of Warren Close appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Thursday (Jan 10) by video link from HMP Bronzefield having previously pleaded guilty to all offences.

The cost of the items stolen by Cole, who has 26 previous convictions, in her latest spree wasn’t confirmed during the hearing but amounts to several thousand pounds.

Cole will be sentenced at crown court due to the depth and seriousness of the counts with the defendant being remanded in custody until February 7.

The pre-sentence report has been requested with Cole being given the chance to read a mitigating letter at her sentencing next month.

“The combination of offences is so serious that the crown court should have the power to deal with you,” said the judge to the defendant.

An August date was also set during the hearing for a separate trial as Cole faces an outraging public decency charge along with a male, with the matter relating to an unspecified incident in May 2023.