An employee of Home Bargains in Gloucester has admitted stealing £131 from the Peel Centre-based outlet in February last year.

Jessica Mauquoy 35, of High Street, Tredworth, pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on Monday (January 24) to a charge of theft by an employee who worked for the retail outlet for three months.

Prosecutor Kirsty Drew explained that the store manager noticed a discrepancy when he was cashing up on the till that Mauquoy had been working on.

She added: "When the store's CCTV was reviewed three days later it was discovered that Mauquoy was seen taking the money out of the tills and putting it into her pocket. When she was shown the evidence, she was immediately sacked by her employers."

Mauquoy, who was not legally represented, told the District Judge Nicholas Wattam that she wanted to apologise for her actions and added that she was desperate for money at the time.

Mauquoy explained that she was paying back the money she owed through a debt collection agency.

Judge Wattam told Mauguoy that he was adjourning the case for pre-sentence reports to be prepared and released her on unconditional bail to attend the court on February 23 for sentencing.