Dental receptionsist stole £10k

Aimee Bradley pocketed payments from patients at Silverwood Dental Surgery in Whitmore Reans. The 26-year-old, of Heanton Croft, Bushbury Road, Fallings Park, started working at the practice in October 2007.

Within a couple of weeks, she was stealing the money given to her for treatment and not writing up details of the payments.

Miss Sati Aujla, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court today: "The manager contacted patients at random, and they said they had made cash payments for treatment.

"The manager noticed that cash payments had not been entered.

"Bradley was confronted and admitted the theft."

Two members of staff at the surgery were then said to have spent 250 working hours trying to establish the extent of Bradley's crimes.

Miss Aujla added: "She was frank with the police.

"She couldn't remember each and every amount and was unable to provide a reason for taking the money.

"She initially intended to pay it back but it soon got out of control. She spent it in everyday amounts and had nothing to show for it."

Judge Michael Dudley told Bradley, who admitted theft: "You know how mean this offence was. Your employers were good to you, and you had no complaints against them. You have put them at a considerable loss."

Mr John Rowe, defending, said Bradley had a "history of low self-esteem" and had been on medication for anxiety. He added: "She doesn't seek to blame her mental health but there was no financial reason for her to steal. She very much regrets letting these people down."

Judge Dudley handed her an 18-month community order and ordered her mental health to be monitored. He also called upon the Crown Prosecution Service to drop a bid to claw back the cash under the Proceeds of Crown Act as she had no money.

He said any cash she came into in the future should go to the surgery, which declined to comment.