A MOTHER-of-three stole an £18,000 hire car, a court heard.

Naomi Fishwick was given a suspended sentence by Bolton magistrates after being convicted of the theft of the Peugeot 308 from Avis.

Fishwick was also convicted of the theft of £45 of fuel from a petrol station on Rishton Lane on May 19, 2016.

The 24-year-old, of Alston Street, Great Lever, also pleaded guilty to harassment of her next door neighbours, which included banging on the walls and making threats.

Nicola Yeadon, prosecuting, said Fishwick hired the car for just one day but failed to return it and the rental firm then could not contact her.

The court heard she put fuel into the vehicle at a garage in Rishton Lane, and left without paying.

A few days later she was spotted on CCTV in Manchester and stopped by police who subsequently seized the stolen vehicle.

Avis who got the vehicle back, claimed she had caused £4,500 damage to the car, £558.50 in lost rental and £150 to recover it from the police pound.

The court was also told that Fishwick had caused harassment and noise to next door neighbours in Alston Street, who had two young children.

They claimed they overheard comments made by Fishwick to her many visitors including: “Watch what I am going to do to them; I am going to maul their children” and “Watch what happens to their house when I leave”.

Peter Leather, defending, said Fishwick, who had previously been of good character, was both vulnerable and isolated with three children aged six, four and 12 months by three different fathers.

She was under a huge amount of stress as a result of the failed relationships and struggling with the upbringing of her children.

Fishwick received a 16 week prison sentence for the theft of the vehicle, a four week sentence for the theft of the fuel, and a four week sentence for the harassment. All the sentences were suspended for 12 months.

She also had her driving licence endorsed for using the vehicle without insurance, and was ordered to pay compensation to Avis of £150, repay £45 for the fuel, and pay the next door neighbours £400 in compensation and court costs of £250.

A 12 month restraining order was also placed on Fishwick by the court preventing her from making contact directly or indirectly with her neighbours.