A TEACHING assistant who made a last-minute guilty plea to theft from the school she worked at has been ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

Elizabeth Hall, of Park Avenue, Barrow, was caught on CCTV pocketing cash from the front office at Parkside GGI Academy last year.

The 37-year-old initially denied the charge but admitted to stealing £34.30 at Preston Crown Court last week on the day she was due to stand trial.

The money had been left in an envelope by a parent to pay for their child's attendance at an after-school club.

Hall, who had worked at the Greengate Street school for four years, was also given a 12-month community order, told to pay court costs of £1,000, as well as a victim surcharge for the offence.

Another charge of theft relating to other monies owed to the school will lie on file.

In a statement issued by Parkside GGI Academy this week, members of the governing body expressed their relief that Hall, who was sacked last year, had finally admitted the charge after pleading not guilty for 14 months.

They added she had "destroyed the essential relationship and confidence" placed in her by everyone at the school.

The statement said: "The governing body are relieved that this has finally been concluded and that the truth came out in the end with Miss Hall finally admitting her guilt on the day of her trial.

"The CCTV equipment we had installed proved to be highly effective and eventually allowed us to follow policies and procedures to dismiss a staff member who had destroyed the essential relationship of trust and confidence we had placed in her."

The statement concluded: "It has been a long 14 months which we can now move on from, continuing to focus on our excellent school, our wonderful pupils and our passionate, loyal and hard-working staff team."