A MOTHER of two, who stole hundreds of pounds from the bank account of an elderly woman who had regarded her as a niece, was spared an immediate prison sentence.

Sharon Lamb, 37, was said by prosecutor Wendy Megeney to have “systematically”

stolen the money from 96-year-old Dorothea Atkinson after she had developed dementia.

Lamb – who had known her since childhood – volunteered to look after her financial affairs and took the cash principally in sums of £200 and £100 from her account, Southampton Crown Court heard.

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Her deceit was uncovered when a social worker went to her home to collect mail and discovered bank statements detailing withdrawls over a three month period.

Lamb, of Thistle Road, Chandler’s Ford, admitted five charges of theft amounting to about £2,770. She received a 12 month suspended sentence coupled with 12 months supervision.

She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours community service and repay the cash.

Passing sentence at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Jayne Miller QC told Lamb the thefts represented the breaking of a high degree of trust and she had taken the money from a woman who had complete faith in her.

She had attempted to justify to the police what she had done, although she knew she was not entitled to take it.

“I accept you are thoroughly ashamed at what you have done and remorseful and that you did things for her which her family wasn’t doing.”

Peter Asteris, defending, said Lamb was terrified at appearing in court for her children as well as herself. She was a single parent and she had spent the money on them.