Mother: 'Cheeky Girl stole for film role'

Cheeky Girl Gabriela Irimia was researching for a film role when she was caught shoplifting, her mother has claimed.

Margareta Irimia explained that her popstar daughter had attempted to slip unpaid items out of a supermarket in preparation for a part in a floundering project by reformed criminal Jason Cook.

Irimia argued to the Daily Mail: "Gabriela was worried that it didn't match the Cheeky Girls' sweet image and she found it very difficult to think about getting into the role as the wife of a gangster.

"Also she was bored. She decided she wanted a buzz to see if she could become a gangster. She was desperately worried she couldn't do it."

Irimia further insisted that the 'Touch My Bum' singer had only attempted to steal one item, not the £40 worth of stock reported, while exploring her "new gangster status".

"She walked out of the store with a one-litre bottle of Appletiser. That was all. Instead of going to the till, she just walked out. And the security was running after her. It is like a joke.

"But she got so stressed about it she was sick in the afternoon. She's never done anything like this before. It's not the girl's character. She just decided that would try her new gangster status."