JAIL SENTENCE QUASHED

AN EMPLOYEE of a charity for prisoners who stole a colleague's purse and bank cards from Hastings Magistrates Court has had her jail sentence quashed.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Sep 2003, 11:27 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 23:21 BST

Jacqueline Lenham,36, was jailed for four months in August after admitting theft and obtaining property by deception.

Lewes Crown Court heard how Lenham, of Hoddern Avenue, Peacehaven, had worked for the Get It While You Can scheme - a charity offering counselling to drug addicts in custody.

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Prosecutor Guy Russell said she was working at Hastings Magistrates Court when the purse which belonged to a Probation Service employee, was stolen.

Mr Russell told the court that she had then used a bank card in the purse to buy petrol, tobacco and groceries to the value of just under 200.

The court heard how mother of three Lenham also asked magistrates to take into account five other offences of using the card to make purchases.

Defending Lenham, who has previous convvictions for theft, Frank Winslett asked for the four month jail sentence to be replaced with a community rehabilitation order.

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He said at the time of the offences she had been struggling to cope financially after taking up the job meant she had to stop claiming benefits.

Reducing her sentence to a two year rcommunity rehabilitation order, Judge David Rennie said: "I feel it is most useful to society for you to get help."