A bank worker from Willenhall who stole almost £43,000 from elderly customers has this afternoon   been jailed for 16 months.

Mother-of-four Selina Watters used a work computer system to shift funds from the accounts of her Barclays customers into that of her 10-year-old son.

The former personal banker stole the cash over 15 months after her family fell into financial difficulty, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard today.

Judge John Warner said he had to send Watters to prison because she had been in a “position of trust” while committing the frauds.

He had delayed the sentence for a week to allow Watters to sort out her family arrangements, including care for her four children.

He told the 34-year-old: “Sending a mother with four young children to prison is one of the worst things a judge can do. But I am afraid I also have a public duty..”

Prosecutor Nicholas Smith told today’s hearing that £42,959 was stolen by Watters, with the sums involved ranging from £550 to £8,500. The majority of victims were elderly, with the crimes committed during their visits to the branches in Queen Street, Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton Street, Willenhall.

Watters, who has four children now aged 11, eight, three and one, would help people with their banking and then some time later access the bank accounts on a work computern.

Mr Smith said the crimes took place between January 2009 and March 2010. Watters, of Bradley Drive, Willenhall, was foiled by an internal investigation by Barclays. She has admitted eight charges of theft from customers.

Defending, Mr Colin McCarraher, said his client was of previous “exemplary character”. He handed the judge 12 letters from a collection of more than 70, each one in support of the young mother.

“She bitterly regrets what she has done,” he told the court today. Watters will face a proceeds of crime hearing in the coming months.