A cash-strapped mum stole diesel from a forecourt to get her children to school.

Laura Morley, from Littlestone on the Romney Marsh, filled up at BP in Hythe and made off without paying twice in June.

Barmaid Morely was also snared stealing fuel from other stations earlier this year and slapped with a 12-month community order.

The mother-of-two’s latest round of thievery unfolded when she made off with £81.92 worth of diesel in her tank from the Seabrook BP garage on June 19.

On June 29 she returned to the Seabrook Road forecourt and drove off without paying for £78.73 worth of fuel.

Morley, of St Andrews Road, was later identified and charged with two counts of making off without paying for fuel.

She would plead guilty to both offences before district judge Justin Barron at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on September 14.

Mathew Howell, prosecuting, told the court the 33-year-old had targeted other petrol stations including an Esso earlier this year.

Mr Howell added: “On June 19 she went into the BP garage at 12.20pm and put in £81.92 and got back into her car and drove off without making any attempt to pay.

“She did the same thing on June 29 when she went to the BP garage at about 3.34pm and put in £78.73.”

Judge Barron was also told Morley had been going through a difficult patch while juggling three jobs.

The court heard she had a problem with Universal Credit payments and was short of cash so stole the fuel to get her children to school.

However, the court was also told she was handed a 12-month community order for similar actions earlier this year.

The latest two offences should have been tied up with the earlier ones and dealt with at the same time, the court heard.

After admitting the other offences at a previous court hearing, Morley was ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation sessions with probation.

As a result, Judge Barron placed her on a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered she pay compensation for the fuel back to the garage.

She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £26 and £85 court costs.