A ‘WELL-OFF’ Bacup woman defrauded Marks and Spencer out of hundreds of pounds in a bogus receipts refund scam, a court heard.

Kathleen Stepien, 57, who had retired early with her husband, had properties and savings, and lived a comfortable life, but was said to have an “irrational fear money would run out”.

Stepien decided on her scheme to make some cash after she took some clothes back to the store and the receipt wasn't marked by the cashier.

She then bought goods, made fake receipts on her home computer, and returned them for a higher refund over 18 months, Burnley Crown Court was told.

When police searched her home, they recovered a computer, four blank till rolls, a printer containing a blank Marks and Spencer receipt roll, and a memory stick.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker said analysis of Stepien’s computer and the memory stick revealed an “array of bogus Marks and Spencer receipts”.

The defendant, of Meadow View, Britannia, admitted fraud between January 2009 and January 2011, fraud on October 26, 2010, and possessing articles for use in fraud, on April 7, 2011.

She was fined £2,000, with a £15 victim surcharge, and must pay £500 costs.

Mr Parker said on October 26, 2010, a member of M&S staff at the Trafford Centre was working the CCTV camera and saw Stepien go to the checkout and try to get a refund for some trousers.

The receipt was from a different store, the cashier had to ascertain its validity and it took some time. The defendant became “rather jittery”, snatched the receipt and left.

The prosecutor said in April, 2011, Stepien was spotted at the Trafford Centre again, recognised, followed and arrested after a checkout transaction.

The £396 receipt she had produced in October was not genuine.

Stepien was searched and six or seven M&S receipts, also believed to be fake, were found in her purse. Mr Parker said it had not been possible to ascertain the extent of her fraud.

She had no previous convictions.

Keir Monteith, for Stepien, suggested the fraud involved “a few hundred pounds”. He said she was “not a career criminal”.

“She clearly didn’t need the money. She’s clearly very well off, very comfortable indeed. She is utterly ash-amed of her behaviour. Her husband is devastated by it.”

Sentencing, Recorder Maurice Greene said Stepien seemingly had no reason at all to commit the offences.