A WOMAN took £17,000 from the bank account of her neighbour with dementia, a court heard yesterday.

Durham Crown Court heard Jennifer Hartas, 35, began "borrowing" from the savings of her 71-year-old neighbour, who was unable to look after her financial affairs.

But she was soon making regular withdrawals of hundreds of pounds from the account.

Her actions came to light when her neighbour requested a replacement cash card at her bank.

Sean Dryden, prosecuting, said bank officials checked for any unauthorised transactions and discovered eight withdrawals last May, totalling £2,500, while a cheque for £3,995 was used to pay for a car.

Mr Dryden said when police approached Hartas she burst into tears and said: "I've been getting money, £300 a time, but I gave it straight to her". But later she admitted she had taken the money illegally.

Police searched her home, in Gladstone Terrace, Ferryhill, and found envelopes containing sums of money.

Mr Dryden said money found at her home and other sums in her own account were repaid to the victim, leaving a deficit of approximately £12,000.

Hartas said she used some of the money to pay her mortgage and council tax bills as well as to buy National Lottery tickets.

Graham Gaston, mitigating, said she began by borrowing money which she intended paying back.

"She is not inherently dishonest, or someone who acts in a sinister way," he said.

"She has expressed her remorse and referred on more than one occasion to her behaviour being 'disgusting'."

Hartas admitted 12 specimen charges of theft.

Jailing her for a year, Recorder Paul Miller said: "I accept you didn't set out to defraud her, but this amounted to a gross betrayal of trust."