A WOMAN accused of stealing nearly £26,000 worth of lottery tickets and scratch cards from the newsagents where she was working made her first appearance at crown court today (Wednesday, April 1).

Lisa Johnston, of Skerne Way, Darlington, faces three charges of stealing lottery tickets and scratch cards with a total value of £25,830 from Christopher Young of Youngs newsagents in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

She is also alleged to have committed fraud by cashing in the winning tickets.

The 34-year-old was due to enter a plea for all four charges at Durham Crown Court but her solicitor, Simon Perkins, and prosecutor Martin Towers asked for more time to clarify the exact amount of money involved.

The incidents are said to have occurred between September 2013 and March last year, while Ms Johnston was working at the family business, located in Newton Aycliffe town centre.

Mr Perkins said his client intended to plead guilty to the three theft charges but asked the Crown Prosecution Service to reconsider pursuing the fraud charge, stating it was the thefts which amounted to criminal activity.

He said an exact figure was needed as the amount of tickets and their monetary value would affect sentencing.

Mr Perkins said: “Ms Johnston will plead guilty to the thefts. Camelot is a wholly computerised business and it should be relatively straight forward to provide a spread sheet which adds up the quantity she is said to have taken.”

The case was adjourned until Thursday, April 30, for the matters to be resolved.

A pre-sentence report was also commissioned to allow sentencing to take place on that date.

Ms Johnston received unconditional bail.