A pregnant bookkeeper committed a £30,000 fraud after finding out her husband had a child with another woman, a court heard.

Katie Stevens, of Bond Road, Gillingham, moved money into her account in an effort to save her marriage and put her financial affairs in order.

Canterbury Crown Court today heard the 32-year-old took money from Home Farm Nursery School, in Tenterden, and used the accounts of a company called Master Hydraulics to conceal her activities.

Eight-months pregnant Stevens had admitted two counts of fraud at an earlier hearing. She will be sentenced later - and faces the prospect of giving birth while in prison.

Trevor Wright, defending, described Stevens hearing her husband had a two-year-old child with another woman as a bombshell.

He said: "You can only imagine what the effects of that can be. The husband moved out of the marital home and makes no contributions toward it."

Mr Wright said this meant Stevens was left with the couple's four-year-old son and facing repossession proceedings for their home.

"She describes herself as devastated and I’m tempted to say that is an understatement," he added.

"they were struggling when this bombshell was dropped and she wanted to keep her financial head above water…” – trevor wright, defending

"What she did then was a pathetic and futile way to save her marriage. She knew it was going to be discovered and there was never the least prospect of the marriage being saved.

"They were struggling when this bombshell was dropped and she wanted to keep her financial head above water.

"It was a course of action which defies understanding because it was inevitable that she would be found out."

The total amount Stevens was charged with defrauding was £31,410. She has already repaid nearly £20,000 and intends to repay the rest at £250 a month.

Stevens, who has a new partner, will be sentenced on September 3.