A 25-year-old Ludlow woman who abused the trust of a seriously ill relative and stole her money has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Rebecca Roberts used a bank card for on-line shopping and used cheques to steal cash from 60-year-old Angela Riggs.

At the time the victim was receiving full-time care for illness, including heart disease, at her Ludlow home, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

Passing sentence Judge Robin Onions told Roberts it had been "mean offending" involving a lady she knew had serious health and life limiting problems.

“You coldly abused the trust she had placed in you, and it was on more than one occasion. You did this for presents for your partner and you spent some on yourself," he said.

Judge Onions said he disregarded Roberts excuse that she had been pressured by her boyfriend.

“You did it freely and because you wanted money and goods you couldn’t have,” he added.

Roberts, of Henley Road, Ludlow, was given a 40-week prison term, suspended for two years, and must complete 150 hours unpaid work and was made the subject of a three-month monitored curfew.

The mother-of-one had admitted a charge of fraud and two charges of theft, involving around £2,800, at an earlier hearing.

The court heard Roberts had been given access to her relative's bank details but only to buy food for the victim and in limited amounts.

However, Roberts used the bank card to buy clothes on the internet worth more than £400, fraudulently signed cheques for £900 and took £1,500 from cash-points on various dates between April and August 2014 last year.

Police were alerted to the thefts in September last year by the victim's daughter and all the monies were later refunded by the bank.

Roberts had said she had been in an abusive relationship and was financially dependent on her partner.

Initially, her mother Cynthia Roberts, 58, of Station Cottages, Bromfield, near Ludlow, had also faced allegations of fraud and receiving stolen goods, but at an earlier hearing both charges were not proceeded with by the Crown Prosecution Service and were ordered to lie on file.