Sly Sylvia Sivakova talked her way inside the home of vulnerable Folkestone pensioners and stole from them.

The 21-year-old brazen thief even rang one of her victims, asked to return to repay him - and promptly stole again.

Sivakova, of Dover Road, Folkestone, appeared in court wearing a black and white T shirt bearing the slogan: “I Want! I Want! I Want!”

And she smirked as the judge heard that what she wanted was to fleece kind-hearted people to feed her sordid drugs habit.

But despite targeting the vulnerable, Sivakova escaped an immediate jail sentence – even though some of the "mean, nasty and horrible" attacks had been carried out while on police bail and in breach of a court order.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd told Canterbury Crown Court how she called at the home of John Bushell in St John’s Street, Folkestone and asked to borrow his phone.

The kindly Mr Bushell invited her in and she stayed for ELEVEN hours, the judge heard.

The prosecutor told how sinister Sivakova gave him a sob story and asked for £50 for rent – and then stole a laptop and Mr Bushell’s late wife’s jewellery.

"He waited two hours for her to return but then realised she wasn’t coming back and discovered a laptop stolen, along with a necklace and silver ring, worth £500, belonging to his late wife..." - Prosecutor Bridget Todd

Mr Bushell then left his flat for an hour leaving her there, and returned to find her watching TV.

“He then took her to a supermarket in his car where he took out £200 and gave her another £70 for clothing. Before leaving the property Sivakova had placed a brown suitcase into the rear of the car.

“He waited two hours for her to return but then realised she wasn’t coming back and discovered a laptop stolen, along with a necklace and silver ring, worth £500, belonging to his late wife," she added.

The following day she telephoned Mr Bushell to apologise and said she wanted to return to explain.

But she didn't realise the police were there and discovered her nearby. She claimed Mr Bushell had given her the money but denied the thefts.

Then in December last year she pounced on another victim, 66-year-old Terence Chamberlain in Bradford Court, Folkestone.

The Czech-born thief sneaked inside his home and stole £30 from his wallet and then telephoned him the next day crying and apologising.

She turned up in a brand-new fur-lined coat claiming she had recently arrived from the Czech Republic and was struggling to pay her rent.

Ms Todd said that she waited until Mr Chamberlain left the room, and then stole another £20.

Sivakova then targeted her next victim in January this year while on police bail, telling Mary Martin she would like a picture of her dog.

The victim went to get a photograph but couldn't find Sivakova when she returned.

She then discovered the sneak thief inside her flat in Pleydell Court, Folkestone, where she then stole £70 and credit cards from a handbag.

Kerry Waitt, defending, said she had spent four months on remand and was now “very much ashamed and embarrassed by her behaviour”.

He said that Sivakova was now reconciled with her parents in Oldham - who had previously disowned her for drug abuse - and was planning to go to live in Lancashire.

But the judge, Recorder Ed Connell, told her that her thieving had been “mean, horrible and nasty offences” .

He gave her a two-year jail sentence suspended for two years, ordered her to undertake a drug treatment programme, told her to wear an electronic tag for the next six months and banned her from leaving home between 8pm and 6am.