MOTHER of three Jill Stanworth stole money handed over to her by friends to pay for Christmas hampers, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Stanworth used the money to pay off debts at a time when she was in dire financial straits.

And the chairman told Stanworth, 24, of Hornby Road, Longridge, that she had come close to going to prison, despite this being her first-ever conviction.

Stanworth pleaded guilty to stealing £150 from Christine Thompson, £447 from Pamela Swarbrick and £300 from Constance Mirch.

She was ordered to do 140 hours community punishment and pay £747 compensation.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Stanworth had told friends she was acting as an agent for Park Hampers and, between January 2000 and November, several had handed over money.

"She simply took that money and used it for her own purposes, not passing it on to Park Hampers as she should have done," said Miss Statham.

"None of the ladies ever received any goods or any money back. She simply took it and spent it on herself."

Miss Statham said Stanworth told police she had used some of the money to pay off mortgage arrears. She had first appeared in court in February but the case had been adjourned on numerous occasions because Stanworth wanted time to pay back the money.

Abid Sarwar, defending, said she had paid £150 to Mrs Thompson and had deposited a further £390 in his firm's account.

At an earlier hearing he told the magistrates that at the time of the offences Stanworth had been in a desperate financial situation and a district judge had told her quite clearly that unless she kept up the payments on her mortgage her house would be repossessed.

"She has three young children and was clearly under a lot of pressure," said Mr Sarwar.