A CARE home boss who stole more than £30,000 from an 87-year-old resident to fuel her online gambling addiction has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sitting at Preston Crown, Judge Graham Knowles told Julie Williams that she would face a proceeds of crime in January when the prosecution will outline how much money she will pay back to victim Clifford Goodall.

At an earlier hearing Burnley Crown Court heard Williams' offending only came to light in April last year when she walked into Burnley Police Station saying she had taken an overdose of pain killers and needed to be punished for stealing money from Clifford Goodall.

The 50-year-old mother-of-two had worked as manager at Hilton Residential Home, Padiham, for 15 years.

She had gained the trust of Mr Goodall to such an extent that he gave her his bank card and pin number to withdraw money on his behalf, the prosecution said.

But the court heard that Williams, of Partridge Hill Street, Padiham, began to abuse that trust in January 2015 by making cash withdrawals of up to £250 on an almost daily basis to fund her addiction to online slot machines.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker said that her addiction was so severe that Williams would on occasion gamble an entire month's wages and then transfer money into her bank account to pay her bills.

Mr Parker said: "Shortly after 4.20pm on April 25 last year the defendant walked into Burnley Police Station saying she had consumed 40 to 50 tablets.

"While there she told PC Hussain 'I have done a horrible thing. I have been stealing money from one of the residents where I have been working. I just want to die. I want to kill myself. I have got a gambling addiction. I thought I would make it back but I just got deeper and deeper. Arrest me. I don't deserve to live. I won't be able to live in Padiham'."

Mr Parker said the fraud totalled £30,388.

Williams, who has no previous convictions, told police she had no money of her own to repay the debt and 'is in the red'.

Mr Parker said the victim, who was originally from London, had intended to move back home to be closer to his family, but decided not to as he wanted to stay with Williams, who he described as a 'good 'un'.

Defending, Philip Holden, said his client had acknowledged she needed to be punished.

Williams was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for 21 month, and a two-month curfew. The POCA hearing will take palce on January 17.