A man and a woman who had spent four months in pre-trial detention after being charged with attempting to steal six tubes of toothpaste had their case heard yesterday.

Nuth Daneth, 25, and Yim Savin, 18, were arrested on November 17 last year after they allegedly tried to steal the toothpaste from a Smile Mart near the Kandal market in Phnom Penh.

Savin is alleged to have driven Daneth to the shop where Daneth was caught by staff, who recovered the toothpaste.

Daneth yesterday told the Phnom Penh Municipal Court that she was pregnant and had five other children who were living with relatives.

“I didn’t have money to buy milk powder for my youngest child,” she said.

“That’s why I stole the toothpaste in order to sell it and make money to buy milk powder.”

The court’s verdict is due on April 21.