A WOMAN who stole thousands of lottery scratch cards from her employer has been ordered to continue making repayments to the family business.

Lisa Johnston has been paying back newsagent Christopher Young at the rate of £300 a month for the last two years, on top of an initial £600 down payment, since first coming before Durham Crown Court for sentence for her prolonged thefts.

The then 35-year-old, of Skerne Way, Darlington, had previously admitted three specimen counts of theft and one of fraud, dishonestly making false representation to make a gain for herself.

It covered a course of dishonesty, between September 2013 and the following March.

The now 37-year-old former assistant at Mr Young’s Newton Aycliffe store, has had a potential prison sentence hanging over her as an incentive to keep up the monthly repayments, by way of voluntary contributions.

But, returning to court on the second anniversary of the initial sentencing hearing, Judge Christopher Prince imposed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, on Johnston.

Having heard there remains about £8,000 outstanding to Mr Young, the judge also made a compensation order, compelling her to keep paying £300 per month, by way of a collection order overseen by the magistrates’ court.

Johnston was caught out after staff at Tesco, in Newton Aycliffe, grew suspicious of her repeatedly cashing in winning lottery tickets without buying any at the store.

When one Tesco employee saw Johnston behind the till at Young’s premises, he discovered the lottery terminal number for the newsagents matched the next tickets she presented at Tesco.

Mr Young was aware of mounting problems with his business for some time and held staff meetings, which Johnston attended, without owning up for her actions.

In her defence, Simon Perkins told the court Johnston would try to clear the debt as soon as possible.

She was said to have used the winnings from the stolen lottery tickets to repay debts after she sold her house, which was in negative equity.

Her actions were said to have put Mr Young’s business, including a shop in Wetherby, North Yorkshire, under threat, and with it the potential loss of 30 jobs.