A former cashier from Wolverhampton who is estimated to have swindled around £6,000 from her employer to help pay off her father’s mortgage has avoided a jail sentence.

Rebecca Hope stole small amounts of between £20 and £30 from the Midcounties Co-operative during shifts worked between March 2008 and March this year.

The 22-year-old, of Rowan Crescent, Bradmore, pocketed the money after taking sales from customers and was only found out after bosses did some basic accounting checks.

She pleaded guilty to theft from her employer and appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court to face sentencing.

Mr Roger Bleazard, prosecuting, said: “This was only found out after some accounting checks, and it emerged that after each shift she was voiding customer sales and pocketing the money.

“Overall, because we are talking about a year’s worth of theft, the total number of days where dishonesty occurred runs into many tens.

“It also has to be a concern that when you work as a cashier and commit offences like this, it has the potential to put others under wrongful suspicion.

“She knew full well what her responsibilities were but decided to take the money and now she’s been found out.”

Mr Balvinder Lali, defending Hope, said she did not use the cash to fund a lavish lifestyle, and said there was some dispute over the actual figure believed to have been stolen. He said: “The figure of £6,000 only came out after she voluntarily told the Midcounties Co-operative that she took between £20 and £30 during every working shift.

“She has had medical problems and was missing for a good six months. I have calculated that the amount is nearer to £2,500.

“Whatever the figure, she did it to pay off her father’s mortgage, it was not to live a lifestyle of excess.”

Hope, who is now unemployed, was told to complete 12 months probation and pay the firm £1,000 compensation rather than spend time in prison because it was her first offence.

District Judge Nigel Hodkinson said: “This is a mistake you obviously regret.

“Your old company has lost money because of your behaviour. If you don’t comply with the probation then you will be back here and custody is obviously an option.”