An ex-magistrate has narrowly avoided jailed after stealing from a cricket club to pay her debts.

Dawn Drabwell, 50, of Dover Road, Northfleet was found guilty of fraud by abuse of position at Southwark Crown Court.

Brabwell, who sat as a north Kent magistrate from 2006, was appointed treasurer of a local cricket club between February and December 2009.

She had responsibility for managing the club's main bank account for its juniors section.

But the fraud came to light when a club committee member contacted police in January 2010 after noticing irregularities in a review of the accounts.

Investigators discovered Drabwell had signed 14 cheques from the accounts to third party companies to pay loan debt recovery and mortgage payments.

In total, £2,120.08 was stolen from the cricket club, although Drabwell did submit two payments of more than £2,000 to the accounts in October 2009.

Detective Constable Geoff McCreery from Kent Police's Major Crime department said: "Those who sit in public office are expected to have integrity and high standards. This was not the case with Dawn Drabwell.

"She systematically used an account she had access to in a position of trust, to make payments for personal gain.

"Kent Police investigate all reports of fraud and will bring offenders who commit these crimes before the courts."

Drabwell was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and has been banned from holding any financial position of trust with any voluntary organisation for two years.