A kleptomaniac convicted yesterday on her ninth charge of theft was granted name suppression by the ''finest of margins'', Judge Stephen Coyle said.
The Central Otago woman, who appeared in the Alexandra District Court, admitted stealing an item of clothing from a Central Otago shop last month.
Judge Coyle said the woman already had eight similar convictions for theft by shoplifting and was receiving counselling for her kleptomania.
Counsel Justine Baird asked for final name suppression on the grounds publication of the woman's name would affect her employment and might affect her therapy for the condition.
Usually, the defendant did not visit shops alone, but on the day of the offence, she was waiting outside a clothing shop when ''her compulsion took over'', Miss Baird said.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ian Collin opposed suppression, saying the woman's past offending had happened in several towns and publication of her name might lower the risk of her reoffending.
Judge Coyle said if the defendant reoffended, all her excuses would run out, and the right of the community to know her name would outweigh the negative effect publication might have on her treatment.
She was sentenced to 200 hours' community work.
