A woman has been told to pay back money she stole from a church fundraising event.
A court heard residents in Bradfield staged an open gardens day to raise money for the local parish church.
One visitor was 56-year-old Olga Alderman-Lotar and Chelmsford Crown Court heard she was seen taking money from a cashbox before leaving one garden in the village.
She was spotted getting into a car and being driven off later on.
But the car's number was taken by another garden visitor and she was arrested later, John Bishop, prosecuting, told the court.
Alderman-Lotar, of Epping Way, Witham, denied stealing £20 but was convicted after a trial.
Mr Bishop said on July 6 last year, a number of gardens in Bradfield were open to the public to raise money for St Lawrence Church.
One garden also had a display of art in a shed and there was a cashbox there.
A couple were in the shed when Alderman-Lotar came in and she was seen to open the cashbox and take some money from it before leaving the garden, Mr Bishop said.
Alderman-Lotar said she had visited the garden and admitted being in the shed.
She said she picked up a programme and put a £5 note in the tin and took a couple of pounds out in change.
No money had been stolen by her and she said someone else must have taken it.
Judge Peter Dedman gave Alderman-Lotar a conditional discharge for a year and told her to pay the £20 back to church funds plus £500 costs.
Published Thursday January 15, 2004
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