A JUDGE will decide if a woman who netted almost half-a-million pounds after a con involving sought-after iPad computers should pay back just £18,000.

The figure is less than half of the £37,000 Kirsty Cox was ordered to pay to police in February last year - equity from the sale of her house which was said to be her only asset.

Cox, who served just two months of a two year prison sentence for fraud because of time she had previously spent in custody, returned to Teesside Crown Court in a bid to vary the proceeds of crime order imposed on her.

The 38-year-old, of Wellbury Grove, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, had the £18,004 in a bank account ready to be paid to the Crown, her barrister Paul Cleasby said.

However, she could not pay the remainder since her ex-husband was subject to a bankruptcy order and those entrusted with the order were making a claim on his half of the equity, which he had previously waived.

Mr Cleasby said: “She would like to resolve this issue as soon as possible as she is currently receiving emails telling her that enforcement proceedings will commence.”

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said Cox had also taken three loans out against the house, which further reduced the amount available.

He agreed with Judge Howard Crowson that further enquiries should be made with the case being heard again on March 30.

Cox, who ran a mobile telecoms business, told customers she could source half-price iPad tablets in the run up to Christmas three years ago using contacts abroad.

But as word spread of the apparent bargains on offer, demand began to far outstrip supply, meaning she could not fulfil the orders and leaving dozens of people who had paid empty handed and out of pocket.

In any case Cox was in fact buying the computers full price from PC World and making a loss on them.

Matters came to a head when an angry mob gathered outside her home and she was arrested and kept in custody for her own safety.

Adjourning the hearing, Judge Crowson told Cox she could face jail once again depending on the outcome.

He said: “Your liberty is at stake one way or another.”