A CHECKOUT operator has been jailed and ordered to repay more than £8,000 after an audit revealed thousands of losses.

Morrisons worker Trina Howard, 47, appeared at York Crown Court on Tuesday, June 4 charged with the theft of more than £8,000, and £40 worth of make-up, from her employer.

Howard of Durham Way in Harrogate, was handed a 10 month jail term and ordered to repay a total of £8,658 to the firm.

She previously pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at her first appearance at Harrogate Magistrates' Court in April.

Howard who had been working at Morrisons in Starbeck, Harrogate, was investigated after an audit revealed their tobacco kiosk was making losses of thousands of pounds.

Investigating, a company investigator observed Howard during two days in November. 

The investigator confirmed that on one day, 35 cash sale transactions had been recorded as a 'no sale'.

The investigator observed that Howard stored the money in a compartment until the end of the day, before removing the money from the store.

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, a confiscation order of £8,658.99 was granted by the court. 

PC Emma Harris, finacial investigator at North Yorkshire Police, said: “The Proceeds of Crime Act ensures that not only can criminals face conviction in the courts, but we can also target their pockets to ensure that their criminality does not pay.

“Ms Howard took advantage of her position as a store assistant with the result that she now has a criminal record.

"Thankfully she pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, saving time and additional cost to the public purse.”