Railway worker stole bags of cash

A woman who stole £11,000 from a Derbyshire railway station has escaped a jail sentence.

Booking office worker Denise Wright, 47, took the cash over a six-month period while working at Alfreton railway station.

Ms Wright immediately admitted the thefts and promised to repay the money.

She admitted 15 counts of theft at Derby Crown Court and was given an eight-month suspended sentence and ordered to do community service.

Ms Wright's solicitor told the court she took the money after her marriage broke down.

The court heard she worked for 20 years for British Rail and then Central Trains.

She rose to be supervisor of four booking clerks and was also responsble for selling tickets, book-keeping and accountancy.

David Outterside, prosecuting, told the court that she began stealing bags of money from ticket sales last July.

She took cash 15 times, stealing between £600 and £1,000 at a time, he said.