One woman, Diana Mikova, was jailed after a seven-month crime spree in Margate

A one-woman crime spree with a string of chances to stay out of jail is now behind bars after a prolific seven-month crime spree.

Mother-of-three Diana Mikova avoided jail last year after being convicted of a string of thefts to fund her drug habit – including stealing a friend’s iPhone.

But the 27-year-old soon returned to her old ways and committed 20 separate offenses between March and October this year.

During the crime, she shoplifted, assaulted a police officer, wiped out an electric bike worth £2,500 and ransacked an Airbnb she had previously stayed at, using a key code to gain access.

It left magistrates with little choice but to jail the opportunist thief, who wept when he learned his fate at Margate Crown Court on Wednesday.

It was her latest appearance in the dock after last February – while pregnant with her third child – she received a 26-week suspended prison sentence for a series of theft-related offences.

On that occasion, U.S. District Judge Justin Barron spared Mikova immediate arrest in an effort to help her beat her heroin addiction, warning her, “Be aware that you’ve had these chances.”

But this week her failure to stay out of trouble was exposed as she appeared via videolink at Thanet Crown Court to be sentenced for the latest crimes – some of which were committed on bail.

The first happened on March 9 this year when he stole an electric bike from the communal hall of the flats he had been staying at in New Cross Street, Margate, and sold it to buy drugs.

Prosecutor Julie Farbrace said the bike was a Christmas present for Alfie Green, who had moved into the accommodation just seven weeks earlier.

“He had no transport (after it was stolen) and used it to go to boxing sessions to help with his mental health and was out of pocket,” she said.

The following month, Mikova booked a stay at an Airbnb in Northdown Road, Cliftonville, before returning four days later to burgle the property.

“He used the code to unlock the lock box,” Ms Farbrace said.

“She was seen on the Ring doorbell footage by the owner who started talking to her through the device and ran up the stairs with items in hand. They were worth about £150.”

On May 18, Mikova assaulted a police officer who knew she was wanted in connection with a series of crimes and confronted her.

“She became aggressive and kicked the officer’s leg,” the prosecutor explained.

“Afterwards she apologized and said she was sorry and she doesn’t normally do that.”

The court was told there were two thefts from vehicles, with Mikova stealing a subwoofer and pancakes from one in April and a £185 unique down jacket from another in June.

On October 2, she was teased when she was seen looking in the trunk of a car.

The owner, Chelsea Ward, grabbed the thief and called the police, but Mikova pulled her hair and ran away.

“Nothing was taken but the woman was assaulted,” Ms Farbrace said. “There was no injury, but it would have been painful.”

The prosecutor said Mikova was also convicted of 12 counts of theft, detailing how she stole at least £900 worth of items from stores including Tesco, Morrisons and Boots.

These included toiletries, cosmetics, baby formula and dishwasher tablets.

Mikova was arrested after the attack on Ms Ward and remanded in custody on October 3.

“The sheer number of offenses is pushing the custodial threshold,” Ms Farbrace said.

She added that she is applying for a Criminal Behavior Order (CBO) – an order used to impose conditions to prevent anti-social behaviour, such as banning shoplifters from certain shops.

Martin Hewitt, defending, said Mikova first came to the UK to live with her family in 1997 and committed her first offense in 2018 after becoming addicted to heroin.

He added: “Bicycle theft is the standout crime. It was right there in the hallway and it was electric, so high value, and she just took it and sold it to feed her drug habit.

“The Airbnb burglary – it was a home and she knew the code to the lock and took the items. The attack on the emergency worker, he was not injured.”

Mr Hewitt said Mikova, whose address was given as her parents’ home in Sandhurst Place, Margate, had been held in prison for 62 days and was now drug-free.

“She could get a high level community order but her previous convictions are an aggravating feature and she was on bail for some of the offences,” he said.

“She is a different person now; the prison worked, he is a new person health-wise.”

The bank was also told that Mikova was able to apply for housing at Thanet District Council and wanted to find a job and stay clean.

Mikova pleaded guilty to 12 counts of shoplifting, theft of a pedal bicycle, burglary other than a dwelling, assault on an emergency worker, assault by battery, failure to comply with a drug appointment, interfering with a vehicle and two charges of theft from a vehicle.

Magistrates told him that the nature and number of offences, as well as their seriousness, exceeded the threshold for arrest.

They jailed her for 38 weeks for burglary, theft, car theft, assaulting Mrs Ward and assaulting a police officer.

She received no separate penalties for interfering with the vehicle and failing the drug test.

No further order for costs or compensation was made for her victims as magistrates believed it would hamper the progress she had made to improve her life since being in custody.

The CBO application will be heard at the same court on Friday (December 13).