A SHOP assistant defrauded Joules clothing store by charging £4,120 in fake returns.

Sophie Brookes, 22, appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and admitted one count of fraud by abuse of position.

Brookes, who now lives in Warwickshire, had been working at the Cowes branch between November 11, 2018, and February 10, 2019.

An independent audit discovered she had been crediting returns for items that didn't exist on to her own card.

Prosecutor Ann Smout said: "The audit found there had been 18 transactions going out to an account under the same name in the time she worked there.

"Joules did not ask us to seek any form of compensation as the theft was covered by their insurance, but brought the charges so other companies would not have to suffer.

"In a formal interview she told her employers she had taken the money so she could give it to her boyfriend in the hope he would go out 'on the lash' and leave her alone." The court heard Brookes had been trying leave her boyfriend and wanted to move back to the Midlands.

Barry Arnett, for Brookes, said: "The situation is that you are dealing with a 22-year-old single mum of a two-year-old.

"The reality is she did lie to her employer, but she was in a very toxic relationship at the time.

"She had gotten herself into rather a lot of debt and some of that money did go towards paying off some of that debt.

"This is most definitely a one-off and I don't think you will ever be seeing this woman again."

The magistrates gave Brookes a nine-month community order to include 20 rehabilitation days.

She was fined £10, and ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a surcharge of £85.

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