A DEPRESSED and desperate building society cashier who pocketed £1,200 to pay household bills has kept her freedom.

Burnley Crown Court heard how divorced mother-of-three Jacqueline Birtwistle, 37, made two withdrawals of £600 from a customer's account by forging his signature. She had been cautioned by police over another £400, but had paid that back.

Sentencing Birtwistle, who had no previous convictions, to 200 hours community service, Judge Reginald Lockett said she had committed a breach of trust and her case had been given anxious consideration.

Birtwistle, of Allan Critchlow Way, Rishton, must pay £1,200 compensation after she admitted two counts of theft and had been committed for sentence by Hyndburn magistrates.

Karim Sabry, prosecuting, told the court the defendant worked at the Halifax Building Society. Last December 31, a customer who had held an account at the branch for five years, told police £1,200 had been withdrawn from his account. One payment of £600 had been followed by another for the same amount two days later. When police went to the defendant's home, after she made both transactions, she admitted stealing the money by forging the customer's signature.

Robert Crawford, defending, said it was tragic for somebody of impeccable character and who had brought up a family, to find themselves before a crown court at the age of 37.

A former nurse, Birtwistle had suffered a violent and brutal marriage, ended that relationship and started one with a second partner who treated her in exactly the same fashion. When she ended that relationship in September 1997, she was at her wit's end, on medication, was responsible for the two children living with her and holding down a job at the Building Society. She was worrying about money and at a very low ebb.

Mr Crawford said the defendant fell victim to the temptation. There was absolutely no way she could get away with the offences. Birtwistle had been very upset about the court proceedings and for the last few months had had the fear of a possible custodial sentence hanging over her head. She was deeply remorseful and didn't want to be separated from her children.

Birtwistle hoped to return to nursing in the future.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.