A CIRENCESTER woman has admitted stealing around £9,000 from a playgroup while she acted as its treasurer.

Claire Thompson appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates Court last Wednesday, where she pleaded guilty to stealing the money from the Lewis Lane playgroup over several months.

The court heard that Thompson, 36, of Queen Elizabeth Road, Cirencester, had taken the money in stages between September 2011 and April 2012.

The loss was only discovered when another member of the playground committee visited the bank and was shocked to discover the accounts were almost empty.

Prosecutor Catherine Jones told the court that, when the loss was discovered, Thompson had taken her two children to visit her mother in Birmingham, but returned to Cirencester after she was contacted by police, and admitted to the theft when she was interviewed.

She added that Thompson had explained that she would draw £300 from the playgroup's bank account and give £200 to the group, while keeping £100 for herself.

“She said she always intended to pay the money back, but it just spiralled from there,” she added.

Defending solicitor Graham Daniels said that Thompson, who is unemployed, had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in December, and this had placed her under a great deal of stress.

“She believed it was her last Christmas and decided to give her children as good a time as possible using cash she has admitted was other people’s money,” he said.

“Had it not been for certain circumstances this defendant would have never even committed an offence.

“She has been as open and as helpful as she can be – when the matter came to light she panicked and took herself off to her mother’s – she didn’t run away and she didn’t hide.”

Presenting a report from the probation service, probation officer Patrick Tracey told the court that Thompson’s health issues do not stop her from working, and is considered at a low risk of re-conviction.

“Should she receive a custodial sentence this would be a very traumatic experience for her and her children, the youngest of whom is only two,” he said.

Head magistrate Tina Rowley-Mussel sentenced Thompson to a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Although the total value that was taken is unclear due to the playgroup’s “hit and miss” account keeping at the time, Thompson had initially admitted stealing £9,000 from the playgroup, and it was ruled that she should also pay this amount back.

After the sentence was passed, Thompson tearfully apologised to the court, saying: “I would just like to say how sorry I am to everyone who’s been affected.”

Speaking afterwards, playgroup committee member Kelly Motti said she was greatly relieved the case was concluded. “We’ve got a kind of closure now,” she said. “Now we can just concentrate on the future.

“She left us with a £3,500 tax bill which we’ve managed to get up a direct debit for, but now hopefully this is something we’ll be able to sort out.”

After the theft was discovered earlier this year, the Standard launched a campaign to save the playgroup from closing, and generous readers came out in droves to help raise the £8,000 it needed.

Sharon Woodruffe, who co-ordinated the fundraising for the playgroup, said she was pleased they would be able to move on.

“It’s not just hanging over us now,” she said. “Now we just have to get on with picking up the rest of the pieces and concentrating on building the reputation of the playgroup back up.”

Kelly added she was grateful people had not taken Thompson’s actions as a reflection on the entire playgroup.

“A lot of people have just stuck by us and said they’d be there no matter what,” she said.