A council worker who stole nearly £80,000 to fund her gambling addiction walked free from court.

Judith Hawkins fiddled the books of Middlesbrough Council to hide her thieving and pay for her gaming machine obsession.

Her dishonesty was discovered when auditors examined the accounts at the town hall bar and cafe where she worked.

A court heard yesterday that the 46-year-old became bars and catering co-ordinator for the authority after winning a series of promotions. But, between December 2004 and May 2005, Hawkins took £77,716 to spend at her local bingo hall.

Defence solicitor Peter Wishlade said some days she spent ten hours a day playing on the gaming machines.

Hawkins has none of the money left and, since she was caught, has attended Gamblers' Anonymous and kicked her habit.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, gave the woman a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, and ordered her to carry out 240 hours of unpaid community work.

Judge Fox said he was able to suspend the sentence because of "exceptional" circumstances, but added: "Others must know that such a breach of trust which you perpetrated will, in ordinary circumstances, lead to imprisonment immediately."

Mr Wishlade argued that the worry of being sent to jail since her arrest almost two years ago, and Hawkin's ill mother's dependence on her daughter amounted to "exceptional circumstances".

Judge Fox said he gave Hawkins credit for her guilty pleas and took into account the "inordinate" time it had taken the case to reach court.

Prosecutor Adrian Dent told Teesside Crown Court that Hawkins admitted her deceit as soon as she was arrested.

Mr Wishlade said her arrest had prompted Hawkins to stop gambling and seek help.

He said: "It had become so fundamental to her life," he said. "She would finish work, arrive at the bingo hall at 1pm and play machines until 11pm.

"It actually beggars belief.

"It just escalated and became completely and utterly the centre of her life - putting money into one-armed bandits." Hawkins, of Marlborough Road, Stockton, admitted 12 charges of theft and 11 of false accounting.