An assistant manager stole from the Worcester pet shop where she had worked for 14 years, breaching the trust placed in her by staff.

Kirsty Phillips of Fielden Row, Warndon Villages, Worcester, admitted stealing £135 from Just for Pets in Worcester when she appeared before magistrates in Worcester.

The 36-year-old stole the money between March 15 and March 17 but told police she planned to pay the money back when she was paid.

Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said she stole the money on four separate occasions, obtaining the money through fraudulent refunds.

Mrs Lovegrove said Phillips was suspended and immediately resigned.

“She stated that she did intend to pay the money back on pay day. She did say she was sorry” Mrs Lovegrove told the court.

Gary Harper, defending, said the issue which would concern magistrates would be the breach of trust which he said placed it in the ‘higher culpability’ sentencing bracket. However, he also said it was also 'lesser harm' in terms of the impact because the amount of money taken was relatively low.

Phillips was interviewed by a probation officer before she was sentenced.

Phillips told him she was a mother-of-two and had started working at Just for Pets at the age of 22. She told him she had suffered from post-natal depression and both financial and marital problems although her depression had since eased.

Keith Stokes-Smith, chairman of the magistrates bench, said: "It's sad in a way that you committed this offence. You say you intended to repay your employer. We will never know know if that's the case.

"It is a very small amount of money but you were in a senior position. You were an assistant manager. They trusted you and you breached that trust. Whatever the amount it would have been a breach of their trust."

He said he hoped she had learned a lesson and that it would have been better if she could have borrowed the money.

He added: "You pay a high price both job-wise and in the court record."

Magistrates handed her a 12 month community order which will include her having to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £185, a victim surcharge of £85 costs and compensation to Just for Pets of £135.28.

She offered to pay at a rate of £10 per week.