A drug addict who stole from cars and even her own friend to fund her heroin habit has narrowly avoided prison.

Diana Mikova, who is pregnant with her third child, targeted vehicles in the Margate area and even struck twice at one couple's home just three months apart.

On a separate occasion, she visited a friend's home and stole his £409 phone while it was charging.

When apprehended by police in October last year, she was found with a number of stolen items, including a green Steve Madden purse, a Posillipo restaurant voucher and two Argos cards.

The 25-year-old appeared at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being charged with two counts of theft from a vehicle, handling stolen goods and another theft in relation to stealing the mobile phone from her friend.

Mikova, of Sandhurst Place, Margate, admitted all of the offences.

The court heard she targeted one couple twice, first stealing a pair of driving glasses worth £150 from their car in June last year.

She then returned to the same driveway in September and swiped a pair or Ray-Ban sunglasses and some loose change from the vehicle, together valued at £121.

District Judge Justin Barron was told Mikova was caught on CCTV on both occasions.

He was also told that in September she visited a friend's home, sat on the sofa, unplugged his charging phone, put it in her bag and left about five minutes later.

After she had gone, the man realised the phone was missing and alerted police.

The following month, during police patrols to tackle vehicle crime in Margate, Mikova was arrested and found with items stolen from cars in the town in September.

Chelsea Clarke, prosecuting, told the court the friend Mikova had stolen from had known her for two years and was unhappy he still had to pay for the handset for a further two years.

Judge Barron heard Mikova had come to Britain with her family when she was 15 and about five years ago started taking drugs and became addicted to heroin.

She had been left homeless as her parents had thrown her out and were looking after her other two children.

He was also told Mikova, who has at least 11 other convictions, was on a community order she had been given for a separate offence.

However, he was also told that now she is expecting her third child she has made efforts to turn her life around and been engaging with probation officers.

She has been doing well on a drug rehabilitation order and managed to test negative for drugs on that order.

She was also recently given leave to remain in Britain and will now be getting Universal Credit, with her parents allowing her to move back into their home.

Judge Barron said he accepted Mikova had been addicted to drugs and had no means of income, and said he could see she had worked really hard to address her substance abuse.

As a result, he jailed Mikova for 26 weeks, but suspended the term for two years.

He also extended her drug rehabilitation order by a further eight months and ordered her to pay £271 compensation to the couple for the loss of their glasses, and £409 to her former friend for stealing his phone.

Judge Barron said: "Be aware you've had these chances, I don't want to see you back on the streets.

"I would also like you to write a letter to the victims explaining why you did what you did.

"Do your best to pass on your apology. I would like this done as long as the victims are prepared to accept the communication."