A HAIRDRESSER who faked a robbery after stealing her bosses' cash has walked free from court.

Victoria Young, 20, had been found bound and gagged at her workplace, Sally's Hair and Beauty in Burnley in June.

The defendant claimed she had been attacked and money taken from the safe but was later rumbled by forensic evidence.

Young, said to have committed the offence because she was struggling with stress and not because she needed the money, was given a two-year community rehabilitation order and told to pay £150 costs.

Sentencing at Burnley Crown Court, Recorder Alan Conrad, QC, said although the offence merited jail, he accepted Young had had considerable personal difficulties at the time and it may be she could not cope with the stresses on her.

The defendant, of Rose Cottage, Lower Walls Farm, Walls Clough, Rossendale, admitted theft of £1,249 cash and cheques and attempting to pervert the course of justice

The court was told that at about 10.10am on June 13, the assistant manager of the pet shop next door to Sally's Hair and Beauty found the defendant bound and gagged.

Young claimed somebody had taken money from the safe and later told police she had been grabbed from behind by a man who demanded to be taken to the safe.

The defendant alleged the man had then taken cash and cheques before tying her up. Forensic evidence showed that prints lifted matched three people - the defendant, the woman who found her and the police officer first on the scene.

Young's car was then searched and the missing money was found.

She was interviewed and made full admissions. Young had no previous convictions.

Mark Stuart, defending, said Young had no idea of the seriousness of what she was getting involved in - but now did. The theft was a one-off, nobody else was blamed for it and not a lot of money was taken. The offence was aggravated by what Young did afterwards.

There was no good reason why Young took the cash. She had made a misguided attempt to hide the fact she had stolen the money.

Mr Stuart said the court would be considering custody but Young need not be deprived of her liberty.

She had expressed remorse and regret, was racked with guilt and was thoroughly embarrassed about the shame she had brought on her and her family.