A WOMAN who stole money from two friends — including one who was 72 — has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Samantha Dicicco, from Nelson, admitted stealing cash from one man’s wallet and then pinching a cheque book from another the next day.

The 26-year-old then cashed a stolen cheque, which she made out to herself, for more than £820, Burnley magistrates heard.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, from Neil Munro and Frederick Cottam, as well as a count of fraud and was sentenced to a total of eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

The defendant, of Beech Tree Close, was also ordered to pay back £895 in compensation to her second victim.

The magistrates said they had to impose a custodial sentence because the offences were so serious and had involved serious breaches of trust.

After the hearing, a spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said Dicicco had betrayed her friends.

The spokesman said: “Dicicco stole £250 in cash out of Mr Munro’s wallet before she stole a cheque book belonging to Mr Cottam, who was a family friend. She then cashed the stolen cheque for £824.44.”

Cllr Kathleen Shore, who represents the Clover Hill ward, said Dicicco deserved an immediate jail term.

Cllr Shore said: “What she did is disgusting and we do not want this kind of thing happening in Nelson.

“She should have got the prison sentence straight away. It means that in 12 months, if she behaves, it will be all over for her. That is ridiculous. It does not send out a good message to other people and I think it shows that anybody else could have a try at it.”

When the Lancashire Telegraph visited Dicicco, she refused to comment.