A MOTHER-OF-FOUR who spent money she collected from former friends for a Christmas hamper fund has avoided a prison sentence.

Joanne Sales, aged 39, ripped off siblings Victoria and Graham Williams to the tune of £700, North Staffordshire magistrates heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Steve Knowles said Sales, who worked as a representative for Park Retail Limited, had been friends with the Williamses for about 20 years.

"She collected money from them to save for Christmas and it would have been returned in vouchers closer to Christmas," said Mr Knowles.

Victoria Williams paid £10 a week and was expecting to receive £450 worth of vouchers. Her brother handed over £10 a fortnight and was to receive £250 vouchers.

But they did not receive their vouchers in November and they spoke to Sales.

"She said her son had signed for the vouchers and thrown them away," said Mr Knowles.

The court heard Sales worked for Park Retail Limited as a self employed agent from January 2010.

She placed orders totalling £2,057.70 but the company only received £167 and the account was closed in November 2011 due to insufficient funds being received.

Sales was arrested and told police she placed orders for about £2,000 in February 2011. She confirmed the Williamses had made orders through her.

She said she paid some money into the Post Office but despite falling out with the Williamses she continued to take their money. And instead of paying it to Park she gave some to her son and spent some of it on herself.

She added the £167 she paid to Park was returned to her, but she spent it on her son's birthday.

Sales, of Waverton Road, Bentilee, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation between February 1, 2011 and November 1, 2011.

Nick Ryles, mitigating, said Sales accepted the offence was aggravated by the fact it was a breach of trust.

He said Sales was a long-standing friend of the Williams family but the relationship soured after the complainants gave evidence against one of her sons in a court case.

"She clearly felt very aggrieved," said Mr Ryles.

"She did not pay the money to Park but kept it for herself and paid some to her son. It was a payback for all the spiteful things they had done."

Mr Ryles said it was a very unsophisticated offence which was always going to be discovered.

He added: "She is a single parent with four children living at home.

"Money is tight. Temptation got the better of her. She took the money without paying it into the account as she should have done."

Mr Ryles said if Sales was sent to prison it would also affect her children.

He urged the magistrates to follow the recommendation in the pre-sentence report and sentence Sales to a community order with supervision and unpaid work.

The magistrates sentenced Sales to a 12-month community order, with 12 months' supervision and 40 hours' unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £700 compensation and £85 costs.

A spokesman for Park said: "This is an isolated incident. We help over 400,000 customers save for Christmas. Our customers' money is held in a trust arrangement. We adhere to the Christmas Pre-payments Association's codes of practice."