A FORMER accountant with a North Yorkshire-based pub group who stole almost £8,000 escaped prison because of her young baby.

Sara Andrews admitted transferring the money from Provenance Inn's bank account to her own between September 2013 and March 2014.

“She was confronted by her employers and admitted she had taken it because she was suffering financial problems," said Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting.

Provenance Inns - which had £7,897.27 taken from its account - runs the Black Bull in Moulton; Carpenters' Arms, near Thirsk; The Crown and Cushion, near Malton; The Durham Ox, near Easingwold; the Oak Tree and the Punch Bowl, both near Boroughbridge.

The 34-year-old has already repaid £3,000 and refused her final £480 pay cheque – but District Judge Adrian Lower, sitting at Northallerton Magistrates' Court, spared her from paying back the rest as it was beyond her means.

Peter Minnikin, mitigating said she was of previous good character and retained the support of her parents and husband.

“She also has a nine-week old baby," he said. “This was not a case where it was to allow her to live an extravagant lifestyle. Her husband had lost his job and debts were mounting.

“It was never her intention to keep the money – she wanted to pay it back but it spiralled out of control.”

The judge warned the offence was so serious she risked prison, adding: "You must feel ashamed and embarrassed.

“The theft pre-dated the birth of your child but because of what you have done you run the risk of being separated.

“You were in a position of trust and one of the few people to access the accounts, and you will find it very hard, if not impossible, to go back to a position like that again.”

Judge Lower told Ms Andrews because of her position and the amount stolen her sentence crossed the custody threshold.

However, he said: “It would be unjust to activate the sentence – but I have not decided that with you in mind, it is because of your child.”

Andrews, of Cleveland Way, Carlton Minniott, near Thirsk, admitted theft and was given an 18 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work. She will also pay an £80 victim surcharge plus £85 costs.