A COMPULSIVE overspender who stole more than £6,000 from her partner during the breakdown of their relationship walked free from court yesterday.

Karen Warren, 37, used 18 of Alan Widdowfield's cheques which he had left behind while he was working off-shore.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Mr Widdowfield left some signed cheques at home for Warren to pay bills and household expenses during his three weeks away.

But when their 15-year relationship ended in February 2002 he instructed Barclays to stop any more cheques being cashed by her and the scam was unveiled.

Amanda Rippon, prosecuting, told the court: "A total of 18 cheques in various amounts totaling £6,050 had been cashed at the bank between April 2001 and January 2002 at a time when their relationship was ongoing.

"They had been cashed by her and they were not cheques Mr Widdowfield had written and were not signed by him."

Warren, of Blind Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, pleaded guilty to theft. Her barrister Christopher Prince said the mother-of-two overspent due to her obsessive compulsive disorder.

Judge Julian Goose sentenced her to a community rehabilitation order for 12 months.

The judge said: "It appears towards the end of the relationship you felt you needed money for whatever reason and it was more than you were being provided.

"You must have thought that was coming from your partner but the true loser is the bank who has lost that amount.

"Those that engage in dishonesty over long periods of time usually have to face the prospect of custody."

Judge Goose said a pre-sentence report and a report from Warren's GP allowed him to "hold back" from a custodial sentence in this case.