SISTERS Michelle and Rachel Lawson cleaned out a cash drawer when they should have been cleaning the Jubilee pub.

Blackburn magistrates heard the pair were caught on closed circuit TV after a live-in barman became suspicious.

Michelle, 18, and Rachel, 30, both of Redlam, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to three offences of theft from their employer Lynne Fox. They were each ordered to do 120 hours community service and pay £200 compensation with £50 costs.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said the Lawson sisters worked as weekend cleaners at the pub and had been working at the pub for 12 months before the offences.

She said a barman called Duggie, who lived on the premises, saw the girls in the bar one Saturday morning and thought they were behaving suspiciously. He switched on a video camera and when Mrs Fox watched the recording, she saw Michelle remove some bags of cash from a drawer before locking the draw and putting the key back in its proper place. Rachel was acting as lookout.

Mrs Fox told police she had noticed a shortfall in the float over the last six months. When the pair were arrested, £93 in coins was found at their home.

Both sisters were of previous good character.

Ian Holland, defending, said the background to the offences was debt. The sisters had borrowed £150 off a loan shark when they were out of work.

"That loan has now risen to £500 and they are being asked to pay £30 per week," said Mr Holland. "The offences were committed to try and repay the loan shark."

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