A PHARMACY employee stole more than £1,500 cash from her former employers as she was ‘struggling financially’, court hears.

Rebecca Bulger, of Mardale Avenue, Orford, appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court on Tuesday after pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by an employee.

The 26-year-old was caught after several cash discrepancies were noticed by her employers, Well Pharmacy.

An internal investigation was carried out and CCTV footage showed that Bulger took cash from the business on several occasions, which aligned with the noted discrepancies.

On September 7 and at some point during July and September last year, a combined total of £1,563 was taken from the business by Bulger.

The court heard that Bulger had stolen and used the money to help while she was ‘struggling financially’ with debts.

Defence for Bulger, Mr Dunn, explained that at the time of the investigation, Bulger was not initially asked by her employers to pay the money back.

“She expressed that if she could have done that, she would have done,” said Mr Dunn.

“She would have been happy to come to an arrangement with her former employers.”

Bulger, who now works at a different pharmacy, was sentenced to 12 months community order with 80 hours of unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay £1,563 to her former employers as compensation.