A SEASONED thief from Cirencester has been given a 12 month community order after admitting stealing from her employer.

Claire Jayne Thompson, 37, had been employed as a cleaner by Wendy and David Brown at their Cricklade home.

During a trial at Swindon Magistrates Court on Friday, December 6, it was heard that between October 2012 and March 2013, Thompson stole £1,500 worth of jewellery from Mr and Mrs Brown.

She also used a credit card belonging to the Brown family to make £630 of fraudulent purchases over the internet.

Thompson admitted to one count of theft and one count of fraud by false representation and was sentenced to a 12 month community order to participate in a 20-day female offender course and to pay £405 compensation to Marks and Spencer Bank and £300 to Wendy Brown.

Local Crime Investigator Sarah-Jane Bolt, who led the investigation, said: “Thompson used her position of trust to make her own financial gain from a couple good enough to employ her.

“Thompson preyed on the good nature of Mr and Mrs Brown, abused their friendship and showed no regard for them whatsoever.”

Last year Thompson was given a 26 week prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to stealing £9,000 from the Lewis Lane Playgroup over a seven month period.

Magistrates in Cheltenham also ordered Thompson to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Speaking to the Standard afterwards, Wendy Brown said: “I suppose that I am satisfied with her sentence in a way. She’s already been given a custodial sentence.

“The fact that she’s going to have this 12 month conditional offer will hopefully go some way in giving her the help she needs.

Mrs Brown, who has known Thompson since 1998, said that her former cleaner must be unwell to continue stealing and from two old friends.

She said: “We didn’t know about her past when we gave her the job but when we did we gave her the benefit of the doubt. We really didn’t think she’d steal from us.”

Wiltshire Police would like to urge people with any information on suspicious activity to contact them on 101.