A BANK cashier used her access code to log into a pensioner's accounts and steal almost £6,000.

Basmattee Kanhai was given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to fraud at Bolton Crown Court.

Jane Dagnall, prosecuting, told how 50-year-old Kanhai was employed as a cashier at Barclays Bank in Market Street, Bolton, from August 2008.

The position meant she had access to customers' accounts using her own pass code, and between August 18 2012 and March 30 2013 she made 29 withdrawals, totalling £5,950 from 74-year-old Brian Richardson's account.

Miss Dagnall said the thefts occurred at a time when Mr Richardson was in hospital and was in a poor state of health, having suffered a stroke and heart problems.

And to cover her tracks she even altered his account details, changing statement dates from monthly to annually so he would not discover the losses immediately.

Kanhai's crime run came to an end when the bank branch manager, becoming suspicious, held an internal disciplinary hearing in July 2013.

She was sacked and police were informed.

The mother-of-two, of Beech Avenue, Anderton, initially tried to claim other people had access to her log in details, but then admitted her guilt.

The money, which Kanhai used for day-to-day living rather than luxuries, has been refunded to Mr Richardson and Kanhai has forfeited part of her pension in order to repay the bank.

Nicholas Ross, defending, said Kanhai, whose case has been delayed due to her health problems, was ashamed and devastated by her behaviour and cannot understand why she did it.

Judge Elliot Knopf sentenced her to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months together with six months supervision by the probation service.

She was also ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work.