AN Army wife turned to crime and pocketed £2,000 of her bosses’ cash after her 18-year marriage crumbled, a court heard.

Amanda Smethurst, 39, stole the cash in amounts of £10 and £20 twice a week when she was working as a cashier at Eastern Avenue Service Station, Burnley.

She did not need the money and could offer no explanation for her actions except that her life had fallen apart when her 20-year relationship with her estranged husband ended.

Smethurst, who had lived in Germany with him, came back to Nelson and started the job last September.

She was rumbled after her employers watched the CCTV and noticed she was not putting money through the till correctly.

The defendant owned up to stealing about 24 times.

She had now paid the money back, Burnley magistrates were told.

Smethurst, of Manor Street, Nelson, admitted theft between last December and February this year.

She was given a community order with six months supervision and must pay £50 costs.

She had no previous convictions.

Sue Robinson said the defendant did not have an addiction, was not in debt and could not explain what she had done.