AN accounts clerk who stole £18,000 from her bosses almost put the family firm into liquidation through her crimes.

Heather Bennetton's guilty secret was discovered after her husband committed suicide and she insisted on going back into work.

The mum, who resorted to theft while under severe personal and financial strain, was jailed for six months. at Preston Crown Court on Friday.

The 39-year-old, of Preston Road, Chorley, pleaded guilty to 20 offences of theft.

The offences were carried out between August 2001 and December 2002 while she was working for Matthews and Leigh Civil Engineering Ltd at Coppull.

Miss June Morris, prosecuting, said the defendant worked for the company from June 2001 to January last year. The thefts began within a couple of months of Bennetton starting work there.

They were carried out in different ways. She would credit her husband's bank account with additional salaries for herself.

Another would be to add tax credit to her payments. She also made random payments to herself, for example for a higher Christmas bonus.

The offences came to light following the tragic death of her husband in December 2002. Because of that she was sent home, but later insisted on returning.

"That caused alarm bells to ring with the commercial manager and after that the situation came to light".

As a result of the thefts, the family business almost went into liquidation. It had to write off a significant sum of money.

Bennetton had no previous convictions.

Mr Simon Mintz, defending, said she fully accepted her guilt. The offences were attributable to a combination of debt and family problems.

"During that fifteen or sixteen months, there was clear financial hardship. There were problems with the mortgage. A suspended possession order has been made.

"Her husband was off work much of that time with depression. He did take his own life".

Mr Mintz asked the court to pass a community type sentence. He said the thefts were not sophisticated. She had been drawing amounts far in excess of her wages that could not be justified.

She had succumbed to temptation in her unsupervised role.

Sending Bennetton to prison, Judge Peter Smith said she had systematically stolen the money and her actions amounted to a blatant breach of trust.