A young woman has been jailed after police found £900 in fake bank notes in her possession.

Part-time carer Sannia Iftikhar, 21, of Southlands Grove, Keighley, paid £400 for what she believed was £1,000 in forged £20 notes, which were discovered by police on January 28.

She had used two of the notes to buy items at B&M Stores, at the Cavendish Retail Park, Keighley, Bradford Crown Court was told today.

On seeing the notes in the till a manager immediately recognised them as fake, CCTV was checked and Iftikhar was arrested after store detectives searched the surrounding area.

Prosecutor Kathryn Walsh told the court Iftikhar was seen handing her mother four fake notes which “appeared to be in an attempt to conceal them”.

Police found a further £780 in forged notes after a search at her home.

Judge Peter Hunt said: “This was quite deliberate and calculated dishonesty on your part.

“Every moment of every day everybody in society depends on the integrity of bank notes to make ordinary transactions, whether a small transaction in the humblest corner shop or a large transaction.

“The moment the integrity is compromised, very serious consequences can arise.

“Innocent people end up with money that is worthless and suffer significant loss.”

Judge Hunt sentenced Iftikhar to 32 weeks in prison for having the money in her possession and for trying to spend it.

Mitigating for Iftikhar, her barrister Emma Downing said she had been pressured into purchasing the notes by a man, whose name she gave to police.

Miss Downing said: “She came into contact with a male from her community who very subtly and over time put pressure on her to assist him in purchasing these notes.”

She added Iftikhar expressed “genuine regret and remorse at what she has done” and was terrified at the prospect of custody.