An Oldham bookkeeper who stole thousands of pounds which were due to her clients in tax rebates after her spending got out of control has been spared jail.

Antonia Houghton, 31, pocketed money from two people who came to her for help with their accounts.

When they came asking for when they would receive the money she evaded them and told them her business had stopped trading.

Houghton, of Wordsworth Road, confessed to two thefts and appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court to be sentenced.

Prosecutor Daniel Calder said the victims were Lee Wilson, from whom £3,640 was taken, and Daniel Scott, from home she had pocketed £8,039. The offences took place in September and October last year.

He said: “In 2019 the defendant was operating a business, AHFM Bookkeeping Limited.

“Leanne Wilson asked the defendant for assistance with her husband’s tax returns. The defendant advised there was a rebate of £3,695.”

But he said when the woman tried to ask where it was she was ignored.

He said: “In response to messages sent on Facebook messenger an error message was received, Mrs Wilson inferred the defendant had blocked her.”

He said the same thing happened to Mr Scott.

Sean Sullivan, defending, said she was going through a crisis at that time after her partner left her.

He said: “By her own admission she was drinking heavily, she was effectively self medicating, taking the medication she takes for anxiety and depression.

“She accepts she was gambling. She is the sole carer for her three children.

“The Antonia Houghton who appears before you in 2020 is a completely different person to who she was in 2019.

"She has stopped drinking, her spending is under control.”

Judge Mark Field said: “The reason why offences of this sort are regarded as serious cases because first of all they involve some breach of trust that was invested in them and secondly because, and that is certainly the case her, they can have a serious impact on the victims."

Houghton was given a nine-month suspended jail term by Judge Field, with 20 days of rehabilitation activities and a three-month curfew, to be enforced daily between 9pm and 7am.