SHE was employed in a position of trust - caring for a pensioner living in sheltered accommodation in Hampshire.

But carer Susan O'Brien abused that trust and ended stealing thousands of pounds form the woman she was supposed to be looking after.

The 62-year-old stole from the pensioner to enable her own daughter to start a new life and emigrate to Australia to join her boyfriend, Southampton Crown Court heard.

O'Brien took a blank cheque belonging to Jane Fisher who had been living in a form of sheltered accommodation for about 10 years and filled in her daughter's name before cashing it at the bank.

Prosecutor Russell Pyne said the 69-year-old was puzzled when she saw £4,000 had been withdrawn from her account.

She contacted the bank who sent a photo copy of the cheque with documentation back to her.

Judge Nicholas Rowland heard Ms Fisher left the details on the floor and O'Brien took them to cover her tracks.

O'Brien was however was arrested and admitted in interview she had filled in the cheque and cashed it for £4,000, giving £3,000 to her daughter and keeping the remainder.

She said they and her grandson had been living in a one-bedroom bungalow, which had led to considerable pressure building up, and “hatched the plan” to get sufficient money for her daughter to go to Australia. She told her the cash had come as a gift.

Mr Pyne added the bank had reimbursed the victim.

However Ms Fisher told police in an impact statement she felt she could no longer trust people coming into her home.

Mr Pyne said of her offending: “This was a breach of trust, knowing the victim had some degree of vulnerability.”

O'Brien, of Sycamore Road, Bishops Waltham, admitted theft.

In mitigation, Mark Ashley said she had greatly left herself down and was thoroughly ashamed at what she had done.

But it had been a matter of desperation, detailing the difficult relationship she endured in the house with her daughter and looking after her grandson.

“She felt the situation couldn't go on. Her daughter wanted to go to Australia and she felt it was the only way forward for her, although that does not excuse her behaviour.”

O'Brien, who was of previous good character, received a six month suspended sentence with a 200 hour community work order and was told to attend 10 sessions of the rehabilitation activity requirement.