Homeless woman, 46, spared jail after threatening Sheffield Tesco staff with broken wine glass stem
A homeless woman who threatened staff with a broken wine glass stem during a shoplifting incident at a Sheffield Tesco was spared jail.
Marie Barraclough, of Waterthorpe, was told she “should never have involved herself” in the confrontation at Tesco Express on West Street on October 25, 2025.
Sheffield Crown Court heard how during a separate altercation outside the busy city centre store, a homeless man entered and grabbed a crate of beer with a plan to run for it.
He was halted by a member of the retail staff who held the shoplifter in a ‘bear hug.’
But it was then that Barraclough, 46, chose to step in.
“You should never have involved yourself,” said Ms Recorder Janine Wolstenholme in sentencing. “It did not and should not have concerned you.
“You picked up a three-inch-long broken stem of a wine glass from outside the shop that had clearly been left there from a previous incident.
“You entered the shop and threatened [the member of staff] with the point of that wine glass.”
The court heard Barraclough held the stem above her head while making “striking motions” towards the shop worker.
The shoplifter who took the beer was let go and ran.
Meanwhile, a reportedly incoherent Barraclough remained outside the shop. When police arrived she walked away, but was arrested soon afterwards.
She told officers she had “a pipe and a small amount of spice” [synthetic cannabis] on her, but was informed that was not what they were there for.
The shop worker said in a victim impact statement the store did not have security staff and that frightening and threatening incidents like this makes him “think twice about stopping shoplifters.”
Meanwhile, Barraclough told officers in an interview the next day she had little memory of the incident, but did not deny it happened.
“That is to your credit that you did not seek to deny it,” said the judge.
“I have heard from the probation service and believe you are capable of rehabilitation. You will not be sent to prison today.”
Barraclough was sentenced to seven months in prison, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to attend 25 days of alcohol rehabilitation requirement, and handed a restraining order not to attend the Tesco on West Street for five years.