A woman known as the UK’s “poshest thief” has been found guilty of stealing £12,000 worth of alcohol from Sainsbury’s but managed to avoid jail time despite a previous theft incident. Pauline Al Said, 35, gained notoriety in 2024 for stealing over £1,000 worth of items, including cookware, wine, gin, and steaks, with her husband. They were fined £2,500 for their actions.
Al Said, a former lecturer at Bath Spa University, has once again evaded imprisonment after stealing nearly £12,000 worth of products, including high-end vodka, gin, prosecco, and wine, over a nine-month period. She disguised the stolen items in her shopping trolleys under Disney dresses and gowns as she battled a drug addiction.
Following a series of thefts at Sainsbury’s, where she targeted alcohol and meat, Al Said received an 18-month suspended prison sentence and was ordered to repay £1,800 to the store. She has been banned from entering Sainsbury’s during this time as the judge highlighted her deliberate focus on the chain for her criminal activities.
Despite acknowledging Al Said’s intelligence and remorse, Judge Gary Lucie justified the suspended sentence due to the high-value nature of the thefts and her potential for rehabilitation. Al Said, now known as Pauline Tusien, has started a website offering life and career mentoring services, signaling a positive change in her life.
The court also mandated that she attend 28 rehabilitation days, believing she may not comply with community service orders. Al Said’s lawyer, Emily Jarrod, emphasized her client’s educational background and positive steps towards a new path in life.