A CLEANER stole a bank card from one of her customers and used it to splurge on shopping sprees.

Maureen Atkinson took £1,140 from the vulnerable ex-alcoholic despite having £3,000 in her own savings account and no mortgage to pay.

The 55-year-old admitted theft and two counts of fraud by representation between February 26 and 29.

Mr Andrew Travis, prosecuting, told Furness Magistrates' Court how the well-known Millom ambulance station cleaner came in contact with the victim Mary Woodend.

He said: "She does several cleaning jobs and started working for the lady in question about 18 months ago. She is a vulnerable lady and a recovering alcoholic. The defendant cleaned for her and also took her shopping on a Friday as she didn't have a car. She was paid £7.50 an hour but was often given £10.

"Ms Woodend broke her ankle and the  defendant offered to do her shopping so she gave her her Barclays bank card and her PIN number, which was returned. On February 29 she couldn't find her card in her purse and reported the card as missing. The defendant said she would take a note to the bank for her. When she got her new card she discovered more than £1,000 was missing and rang the bank. There was also a payment for petrol of £40 and she doesn't have a car. The defendant was seen on CCTV using the cash point and buying petrol.

"In her victim impact statement said she said she felt she had taken a liberty with her money and felt absolutely betrayed. She has also had trouble sleeping saying when she discovered who it was she felt sick to her stomach."

The court heard that when she was arrested Atkinson, of Wellington Street,  admitted everything. They discovered she had £3,000 of her own money in her account, her mortgage was paid off and her husband was in a care home and she couldn't explain why she had taken the money. She said she had spent it on shopping and trip to Manchester to buy clothes. Money found in a red box under her bed contained stolen cash she said she was going to use for a holiday.

Mr Michael Graham, defending, said: "This is an unusual case. She is  55 years old and has no previous record of offending.

"She did not need the money and has no issues with alcohol or money. She doesn't know why she did this. The opportunity was there and she made a foolish and stupid decision.

"It's rather an unsophisticated crime as suspicion would obviously fall on her. It is highly likely you will not see her again.

"She totally regrets what she did and will forever.

"There are whispers about her actions in Millom and that is part of the punishment itself."

Magistrates described her actions as "a breach of trust" of someone she worked for.

She was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work in the community, to pay compensation of £1,140, £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.