A WREXHAM woman stole a pair of high value handbags from a victim she'd been cleaning for, a court heard.

Amy Hall, of Meadow View, Tanyfron, was produced in custody at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning.

The 31-year-old admitted that between the beginning of May and the end of June this year, she stole a pair of Chanel bags worth £6,600 belonging to a woman named Jade Darlington.

Rebecca Kuipers, prosecuting, told the court that the victim noticed one of her handbags was missing after the defendant had been cleaning at her home.

Ms Darlington asked Hall if she'd seen the bag and they both looked, but couldn't see it.

The victim checked for her other high value handbag in her wardrobe, but it had gone too.

After Ms Darlington called the cleaning company and told them of the situation, Hall made full admissions that she'd taken the bags and sold them.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said Hall's actions had been "a massive violation of trust and privacy."

Andrew Holliday, defending, told the court his client was a woman of previous good character and doesn't have any criminogenic needs.

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He explained: "She tells me she has a lot of things on finance and was paying those off but was beginning to get into arrears.

"In an act of desperation, she took the bags.

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"It was clearly borne out of financial needs."

District Judge Gwyn Jones told Hall she'd been trusted to go into the victim's home but acknowledged the offence had been committed when she found herself in financial difficulties.

He handed down a 12 month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work.

Hall must pay £3,500 in compensation to the victim, as well as £85 in prosecution costs.