A 45-YEAR-OLD shop assistant stole from the till to fund taxi travel because she had a phobia about using public transport.

Blackburn magistrates heard that over a four- month period Sheila Brynes helped herself to £870 by generating bogus refunds.

And she later told police some of the cash had gone on taxi fares because of her fear of catching buses.

Brynes, of Dunoon Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to four charges of theft from Evans Stores, and asked for 19 other offences to be taken into consideration. She was made subject to community supervision for 12 months, and ordered to pay £400 compensation.

The court heard Brynes had pretended people had returned goods that weren't acceptable, generated the refund, and then taken the money herself.

She told police she was struggling to pay her bills, and that at least some of the money was used to pay taxi fares because she has a phobia about catching buses.

Liz Parker, defending, said the offences had started because of her client's phobia about using public transport, or being in public places.

"She decided to take money from the till to pay for taxis. She eventually left her job because she wanted to put an end to what she was doing," said Mrs Parker.