A CROOKED building society worker who stole almost £30,000 from elderly customers to help fund holidays for her family has been jailed for 20 months.

Lisa Anderson was told by a judge that her dishonesty cast suspicion over innocent colleagues and had a devastating impact on one of her victims.

The 81-year-old saver burst into tears when she realised her account had been emptied, and says the ordeal has shattered her confidence.

She said she had laid in bed at night worrying about having to go to court to give evidence as Anderson continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Over two years up to the end of 2008, Anderson stole £13,881 from the woman, and took a further £15,860 from another customer, a 79-year-old man.

She was a mortgage advisor with the Newcastle Building Society at its branch in Hartlepool, at the time, and considered a friend by the pensioners.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday that she spent more than £12,000 in three years on holidays to places such as the Canary Islands and Lapland.

Anderson, 36, claims much of the stolen money was used to pay for physiotherapy for her two children - who both broke legs in playground accidents.

Katherine Dunn, mitigating, said Anderson's son was a promising footballer and his treatment through the National Health Service was not good enough.

She said the 36-year-old's daughter - injured at the same playground in a separate accident - was a dedicated dancer, who also needed physio.

The judge, Recorder Rodney Jameson, QC, said money used for the "desirable but not necessary" holidays could have been spent on treatment.

Anderson, of St David's Walk, Hartlepool, protested her innocence up until her trial was due to start and she admitted two counts of fraud.

The court heard Anderson also provided skin for grafts for her brother, who suffered an almost-fatal electric shock and had his legs amputated.

Anderson was told by the judge that her sentence would have been substantially higher had it not been for her selfless acts and good character.

Mr Recorder Jameson said costly investigations by the police and the building society - which has refunded the victims - could have been avoided.

The court heard how Anderson opened fraudulent accounts in the customer names, and transferred large sums without their authority.

She forged withdrawal slips, stole £500 cash at a time, and falsified entries on the banking systems to hide and justify the large cash movements.