A FORMER club secretary of the Royal British Legion admitted to stealing £1,500 from the club.

Mother-of-two Sharon Stokes, 36, was a member of the Stickland branch in Winterborne for several years.

When the club's treasurer became ill in March last year, she and another woman took over managing the funds.

It was her job to take the money to Barclay's Bank every week. But between March that year and February this year, Stokes, from Lower Street, Winterborne, started to siphon off about £10 or £20 once or twice a week.

Tessa Cordy, prosecuting at Blandford Magistrates' Court, said: "In the course of 2004, especially towards late summer, some started to raise concerns about the financial arrangements of the club.

"During 2004 an investigation was started and in April 2005 she Stokes was arrested, interviewed and freely admitted she had taken some of the bar takings for herself."

William Hazelton, defending, told the court Stokes had no previous convictions and started stealing when her life became difficult.

He said: "She split up with her partner in April 2004 and had two teenage children living with her.

"She was a single mother.

"She had some financial problems and was in a bit of a mess. Money was not spent on luxuries but on day-to-day living."

Mr Hazelton also explained that Stokes - who pleaded guilty to the one count of theft - remarried in June and her life was "on the up".

The magistrates decided to delay sentencing until November 16 at Blandford Magistrates' Court for reports and suggested her punishment was likely to be work in the community.

First published: November 4, 2005