Teen caught with her hand in the till

3:32pm Wednesday 28th May 2008

A teenage shop worker caught with her hand in the till has been told to do community service.

Serena O'Donnell stole cash and stock from the Debenhams department store in the Swindon town centre over a nine month period.

But after hearing how the 19-year-old was suffering from depression a judge at Swindon crown court imposed a community order.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told the court that O'Donnell was employed as a cashier at the store on The Parade.

He said "It became clear to management that tills she operated were frequently deficient, they didnít balance and by sums greater that normal carelessness.

"They decided the closed circuit television would be used to monitor her and it became clear fairly son that she was taking sums of cash and taking small quantities of stock."

She was then investigated by the store before being handed over to the police where she admitted she had been stealing from work.

Mr Meeke said it was the Crown's case that she had taken about £4,000 worth of cash and stock from the shop.

However she had submitted a basis of plea saying it was about £980 though he said the larger amount was closer to her admissions in interview.

O'Donnell, of Tockenham Way, Penhill, pleaded guilty to the theft of cash from Debenhams between Friday December 1, 2006 and Monday August 20 last year.

Nicholas Fridd, defending, said a psychiatric report had also been compiled on OíDonnell as well as a pre-sentence report written by a probation officer.

He urged the court to impose a community order with a requirement to undergo treatment saying "This lady was obviously suffering from quite severe depression."

Judge Douglas Field said he couldn't impose the requirement order with the information he had in front of him.

Instead he passed a one year supervision order and told her told O'Donnell to complete 120 hours of community service.

He told her "The serious aspect of this is your breach of trust because you stole from your employers.

"When ever there is a breach of trust a judge has to look at whether or not a custodial sentence has to he imposed."

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