AN office clerk helped herself to more than £4,300 of her boss’s cash then promised to pay it back, but didn’t.

Burnley magistrates were told how mother-of-two Belinda Jane Thompson, 32, breached the victim’s trust and abused her position when she took the money over six separate occasions between June and August last year.

Thompson, who is now pregnant again and due to give birth in August, told Michael Shires she was disgusted with herself when she was confronted in the car park and because she told him she had been hard-up, he gave her the chance to hand it back.

Thompson, who claims Mr Shires promised her cash that she didn’t get, admitted fraud by abuse of position.

The defendant, of Mary Street, Ramsbottom, was given 12 weeks in jail, suspended for a year, with supervision and must pay £280 compensation.

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, said Thompson had worked at JMC Engineering, in Shawforth, for about 12 months and her duties included paying bills and taking payments from customers.

She got the money she took by refunding her own credit card.

Thompson sold £7,000 of goods for Mr Shires on eBay and he said he would give her commission, but it never materialised.

Miss Fell, defending, said the defendant would say she had paid back £1,400.

She claimed Mr Shires had turned up at her home, demanding the money.