A WOMAN who stole more than £7,000 from her employer to fund her gambling habit has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Victoria Robertson, of Frome Road on Walney, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court in August to the charge of taking various sums of money from Howdens, where she worked as the assistant manager, between January 10, 2019 and July 29, 2020, totalling £7115.12.

The court heard that the 42-year-old could be facing a year behind bars for this crime.

South Cumbria Magistrates' was also told by the prosecution that in an interview she admitted that she was responsible for stealing £7,000 of company funds as well as admitting that she has gambling problems and used the money to fund her habit.

Howdens, a trade retail chain that sells kitchen and joinery parts, has more than 700 branches in the UK and Europe, including on Ashburner Way in Barrow.

Magistrates sent the case to crown court after being told by the legal advisor the sentence could exceed their powers.

Robertson was due to appear at Preston Crown Court, where she was to be sentenced on September 18, however the date got pushed back to December 22.

A judge made the decision to impose an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months as well as 15 days of rehabilitation activities that she must comply with.