by Katie Alston

kalston@thekmgroup.co.uk

A pregnant woman carried out a spate of burglaries to pay back a loan shark who was threatening her unborn baby.

Canterbury magistrates heard how eight month pregnant Charlotte Binnersley squeezed her baby bump through windows to gain access to nearly a dozen addresses in Herne Bay as she struggled to meet rocketing loan repayments.

Binnersley, who lives with her long term boyfriend in Herne Street, carried out the daylight thefts throughout July, August and September.

When the 20-year-old appeared at court on Thursday, wearing a coat concealing her bulging belly, she pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, with magistrates asked to take into consideration a further nine.

In total it's estimated that Binnersley robbed more than £8,335 from unsuspecting homeowners.

On one occasion Binnersley was actually caught out while inside a house in Strode Park Road, but when asked what she was doing by the victim, claimed she was going into labour and needed an ambulance.

She ended up walking calmly out of the property. At another home in Lower Herne Road, light-fingered Binnersley clambered through a window left open for a cat, to steal cash and jewellery worth several thousand pounds.

The items had particular sentimental value as they belonged to the owner's daughter who had Spina Bifida and died last year.

Blooming Binnersley, who has no previous convictions and who had never step foot inside a police station, says she was forced into crime by a loan shark going by the name of 'Dan'.

She told police how she borrowed £1,000 from him two years ago after answering a newspaper ad offering the chance to earn extra money. When she knocked on Dan's door he offered her a loan, and desperate for cash she accepted.

Complications with her pregnancy in February led to a spell in hospital, and resulted in her losing her part time job.

Struggling to keep up with soaring repayments and a debt which had jumped to £4,500, Binnersley says Dan increased pressure on her to hand back the borrowed money.

As well as slapping her, she claims he threatened the life of her unborn child telling her: "If you don't pay me back, nothing is coming out of you."

The court also heard how Dan had promised to hurt her family if she told them, and warned that if she contacted police he would know.

Binnersley claims that left with no choice but to turn to crime, she pawned the stolen jewellery and gave the cash directly to Dan, who had her mobile number although she didn't know how to contact him.

Police say there is no record of the items being pawned. Binnersley told officers she was glad to have been caught as it meant she could now seek help from her family.

Her father has paid the remaining £400 debt.

Victoria Urmossy, defending, said: "She is due to give birth in five weeks and this should be the most joyous time of her life and it is not, it is a tragic situation.

"She is mortified by her actions at the time of being heavily pregnant, and it just shows her sheer desperation."

Binnersley has been referred to crown court for sentencing.