A BOOKKEEPER who stole about £150,000 from her employer to fund her gambling addiction has been jailed for 30 months.

Exeter Crown Court heard the thefts perpetrated by Eileen Evis, 61, led to the downfall of TAG builders, which had traded successfully for more than 20 years.

Evis, of Winslade Road, Sidmouth, East Devon, pleaded guilty to six thefts and two charges of fraud committed over 14 months.

Passing sentence, Judge Phillip Wassall told Evis: "These were substantial frauds when you were in a position of great trust and your actions contributed to the company being liquidated."

Prosecutor Howard Phillips said at the time she was working for TAG as a bookkeeper, she had severely abused the trust her employers placed in her.

The court heard on one occasion she transferred £73,696 from the company account to her own and on another occasion she cashed a cheque for £65,000 for her own benefit.

The other offences related to making representations in a false name to obtain funds and credit from building societies and banks, amounting to more than £31,000, committed between October 2006 and January 2008.

Nigel Wraith, for Evis, said her gambling had started out as a hobby when she was told by a friend about Internet gambling and decided to try it. Because of the way she operated the accounts, it was inevitable she would be found out. She felt awful about what she had done, was sorry and hated herself. She wanted to pay back all the money in due course.