A FORMER cook broke down before magistrates as she was sentenced to three months in prison yesterday.
Lesley Emerson, 33, of Valley Terrace, Howden-le-Wear, County Durham, betrayed the trust shown in her by a Bishop Auckland catering company when she stole money from the takings, the court heard.
The one-time pub landlady was given two concurrent sentences after admitting theft and false accounting between May and November last year.
She was also ordered to pay £1,500 compensation to Consort Catering, who employed her to run a canteen at CA Roofing, in Evenwood.
After the case, Tracy Chappell, who set up Consort Catering with Alison and Anton De-rijk, said that Emerson could have ruined the company.
She said: "We trusted her and liked her, and she let us down.
"It if hadn't been for two other good contracts we would have lost everything."
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