A JUDGE spared a New Forest fraudster from an immediate jail sentence because of the impact it would have on her sick parents and teenage daughter.

Alayna Brooks, 50, had defrauded her employers over bogus loan application agreements relating to cash and vouchers.

Southampton Crown Court heard Brooks had begun exploiting the Provident Financial Company after shortly joining them as an agent.

Prosecutor Rachel Robertson outlined how one existing customer was puzzled to receive a letter from the firm with reference to a £500 credit agreement.

After she had reported she had never taken out such a loan, Brooks said it was a mistake and she would sort it out.

But the complaint led to the company carrying out an internal investigation, which revealed other fraudulent transactions involving four neighbours who had been asked to sign loan application and voucher forms.

Brooks, of Provost Street, Fordingbridge, admitted eight charges of fraud involving about £3,000.

Giving her a four-month suspended sentence coupled with orders to pay £1,200 compensation and perform 250 hours unpaid work for the community, Judge Peter Henry slammed Brooks as “a thoroughly dishonest woman” who had committed the offences while on bail on other charges.

He added: “They represented a breach of trust, had been fraudulent from the outset and were persistent.

“But if I was going to send you immediately to prison, I would have to have regard to your personal circumstances, particularly your parents who are ill and your daughter.”

Sarah Langford, defending, said her motivation was to hit her targets and she asked them to take loans in their name. But they had nothing more to do with it after that as Brooks repaid the loans on their behalf. The temptation to exploit the company system was too strong.