A FORMER headteacher appeared in court yesterday charged with obtaining property by deception.

Margaret Findley, 58, of High Street, Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, appeared before magistrates in Guisborough, east Cleveland, where she pleaded guilty to the offences.

The court heard that Findley, who used to live in Tower Court, Saltburn, east Cleveland, intercepted post from a neighbour which contained an application for a credit card.

She filled in the application form, sent it back and again intercepted the post when the card was due to arrive.

She was charged with having used the card at Penny Plain in Yarm, near Stockton, where she bought clothes and a handbag to the value of £174, and of using it in the town's Market Cross Jewellers, where she purchased a pewter goblet for £59.

The court was told that Findley's mother received a pension from Corus as a result of her husband's employment.

Her mother died on February 18 last year but Findley failed to notify the company.

As a result the pension was still paid into her mother's bank account and Findley continued to use it.

Eventually the police notified Corus and the pension was stopped.

She pleaded guilty to obtaining property transferred by deception.

She will be sent to Teesside Crown Court for sentencing, where more than 40 other offences will also be taken into consideration. She was granted unconditional bail.