A woman who “helped herself” to over £5,000 of her boss’s money has been spared immediate custody.

But it wasn’t the first time Jacqueline Kupperblatt had breached an employer’s trust.

When she appeared for sentence for theft and deception at Canterbury Crown Court she was told she was “not only dishonest, but manipulatively dishonest” and family problems and illness were no justification for her actions.

Kupperblatt, 52, of Leighville Drive, Herne Bay, worked for the Kent Cricket Board, which is based at the St Lawrence ground in Canterbury, and admitted seven offences committed between September, 2005, and November, 2006.

She was sentenced to six months, suspended for a year, with a condition she lives and sleeps at her address for the next six months. She must also pay £400 costs.

Donna East, prosecuting, said Kupperblatt started freelance work as an administrator for the KCB in 2005 and managed the accounts system.

An audit for October, 2005, to September, 2006, highlighted accounting errors and when cheques were recovered from the bank it was found some had been made out to Kupperblatt.

There were records of deposits that hadn’t actually been made and when arrested she said the cheques were made out to cover her wages. In total the board lost £5,645.

Kupperblatt appeared at Thanet magistrates in 2003 for false accounting offences involving £5,179 taken from Girlings Solicitors.

Peter Forbes, defending, said she had repaid the money to the solicitors but it didn’t help that she was in court again for similar matters.

She suffered a number of medical problems having developed epilepsy and suffered significant cognative difficulties such as poor memory and concentration.

He said the court would have little difficulty in deciding the offences crossed the custody threshold but asked that any sentence be suspended.

She was working out her notice in her current job and her employability would be affected by her convictions.

Sentencing Kupperblatt, Judge Timothy Nash said: “Again you have helped yourself dishonestly to your employer’s money which is a gross breach of trust.

“I have read reports and see nothing in them to excuse what you did, illness and family problems in no way justify selfishly stealing other people’s money.

“You are not only dishonest, but manipulatively dishonest.”