A WOMAN who stole more than £15,000 from her sick mother has been spared jail so she can help look after her four-year-old grandson.

Marjorie McLaughlin was handed a suspended prison sentence after a court heard she was terrified the child would be taken into care if she was put behind bars.

She had admitted stealing £15,549 from her 86-year-old mother, Bridget, who suffers from dementia.

The cash should have paid for Bridget McLaughlin’s care home fees.

Instead Marjorie McLaughlin splashed out on a car and helped pay for her elder daughter’s wedding dress.

But the judge, Recorder Alistair Malcolm QC, decided not to send her to prison after hearing that she looked after her four-year-old grandson because her younger daughter suffered from learning difficulties and could not cope.

Winchester Crown Court heard that Marjorie McLaughlin became responsible for her mother’s finances after the death of her father, William.

Prosecutor Unyine Davies said Marjorie McLaughlin had opened a bank account using her father’s £7,500 life insurance. Her mother’s state pension and pension credit were paid into it on a weekly basis.

She initially paid two sums of cash of almost £1,300 each to the home but then made no more payments. The care home then sent out a series of invoices about the non-payments which totalled about £9,000 for her care and other costs which included for her hairdressing, toiletries and chiropody.

Following her arrest, Marjorie McLaughlin, 43, of Osborne Road South, Portswood, Southampton, made a full confession as to how she had spent the money.

In mitigation, Ximena Jones said Marjorie McLaughlin had admitted the offence, which regretted, at the first opportunity.

“She knew what she was doing was wrong but at the time didn’t realise how serious it was. She is deeply remorseful,”

she added.

“She has not lived a lavish or extravagant lifestyle and not gone on holidays.”

Recorder Malcolm then heard how Marjorie McLaughlin cared for her grandson and was terrified he would have to go into care if she was jailed.

“She is desperately sorry and does not want her offending to have a detrimental effect on her grandson. He has no one else to look after him,” Ms Jones said.

Giving her a 15-month suspended sentence with 12 months supervision, the judge said the case was a serious breach of trust.

“Courts must protect people like your mother from people like you and the only sentence that can be passed is one of imprisonment,” he added.

But he spared her from an immediate term, saying: “I take into account what you mother would feel if her greatgrandson was put into care.”