An American visitor who stole more than $600 worth of property from shops in St. George's walked free from Magistrates' Court yesterday after she blamed her acts on a medical condition.

Sharon Gay Weisbart, 55, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was absolutely discharged after she pleaded guilty to two counts of theft.

She told Police she was a kleptomaniac when they arrested her on Wednesday.

And lawyer Peter Farge told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that Mrs.

Weisbart was a manic depressive who had a habit stealing things when "she is on a high'' from her medication.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister described how a store assistant in the St.

George's Trimingham's branch saw Weisbart drop 18 items, valuing a total of $557.95, into her shopping bag as she walked around the store.

Kleptomaniac cleared The assistant stopped Mrs. Weisbart, who is staying at the Hamiltonian Resort in Pembroke, just after she left the premises and called the Police.

Upon her arrest, Mrs. Weisbart told officers: "I'm sorry. I am a kleptomaniac. I have a disease.'' It was also revealed she had stolen $101.95 worth of goods from Taylor's Ltd.

on Water Street earlier on in the day.

Yesterday, Mr. Farge said: "Mrs. Weisbart is a manic depressive and she is on medication. She has a habit of taking items when she is on a high.

"She does it because of her illness.'' But Mr. Warner said he could not accept Mr. Farge's mitigation because he was not an expert.

"You're not a physician,'' he said. "You can't give evidence.

Later in the day, Mr. Farge came back to court with a letter from Weisbart's doctor explaining her medical condition.

Mr. Warner absolutely discharged her and asked her to see a psychiatrist when she returned to Nevada this weekend.