A SHOP worker took more than £1,000 from her employer to help meet her boyfriend's drug debt.

Danielle Mottram, 21, stole the money from the Tommy Hilfiger store at the MacArthur Glen Designer Outlet Village in Rodbourne, where she worked as an assistant manager, to help pay off an £8,000 credit card bill run up by her live-in partner Lee Stratford, 27.

Swindon Magistrates Court heard how Mottram, of Jubilee Green, Cirencester, stole takings from the shop three times after being begged by Stratford to help him buy more drugs.

She admitted stealing £100 on January 16, £749 on January 26 and £260 on January 31 totalling £1,109 while Stratford admitted receiving stolen goods after she handed him the £749.

Louisa Thomas, prosecuting, said a security camera in the shop manager's office captured Mottram putting what appeared to be cash into her back pocket.

CCTV then showed her handing over a package which was later revealed to be the missing £749 to Stratford when they met outside the shop in the outlet village.

Stratford, who is awaiting sentence at Gloucester Crown Court on May 10 for 16 convictions of burglary or theft, was described by Mrs Thomas as a "persistent and prolific offender" who has had 39 convictions since 1998. In mitigation Chris Smyth said: "Mr Stratford takes responsibility for these offences. He had put enormous strain on their finances and ran up debts of £8,000 on her credit card."

Sentencing was postponed until May 12 at Swindon Magistrates' Court to allow Stratford's outstanding case at Gloucester Crown Court to be completed and for a pre-sentence report on Mottram to be prepared.