A mother of three who stole nearly £28,000 cash from a Deal post office has avoided going to prison.
Rachael Tagg, 39, had faced a two-year jail sentence for the theft from the Mill Hill Post Office in Beauchamp Avenue.
For a year, she took money from the till to pay off huge debts, Canterbury Crown Court was told.
Tagg, also of Beauchamp Avenue, pleaded guilty to theft – and was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.
Prosecutor James Bilsand said Post Office fraud investigators noticed a discrepancy in takings at the Deal Sub Post Office last December.
Checks were made on a bag which, according to records, should have contained £14,000 – but when it was opened £13,295.22 was missing.
Tagg was immediately questioned and admitted taking £27,729.29.
Tagg, who said she stole because she was heavily in debt, was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and faces a three-month curfew order, when she will be electronically tagged between 8pm and 7am each day.
Judge Adele Williams said it was persistent dishonesty over more than a year, during which she stole from her employer.
For the full story, read this week's East Kent Mercury.