A WOMAN who plundered thousands of pounds from her elderly and vulnerable mother's bank account has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Christine Arnold, 54, spent some of the money on a car and booking a holiday for herself and her husband, Bradford and Keighley Magistrates were told today.

But the court heard Arnold had already paid back nearly half of the £6,684 she had stolen and would use pension schemes to repay the rest.

Arnold, who had no previous convictions, had pleaded guilty to theft from Sylvia Whittingham, between November 22, 2013, and April 5 this year, at an earlier hearing.

Prosecutor Jill Seddon said 80-year-old Miss Whittingham had been out of the country visiting a relative. When she returned she checked her bank statements and immediately noticed a £148 Switch card payment at a store in Scarborough. She went through other statements with her grand-daughter and found a number of transactions she did not recognise.

Miss Seddon said: "It was noted a holiday had been booked with Thomas Cook, the day before this matter was being looked into, and money had been paid at a car salesroom."

The bank identified that £6,684 was not accounted for.

Miss Seddon said the family sat down with Arnold to discuss where the money had gone and she admitted taking her mother's bank card and using her money. When the money was not paid back, the police were contacted and Arnold, of Tawny Close, Tong Street, Bradford, was arrested.

The court heard Miss Whittingham was a vulnerable 80-year-old woman who lived by herself.

Arnold's solicitor, Steve Brocklehurst, said he had a statement from Nat West confirming that £3,000 had been paid into an account under the name of Sylvia Whittingham. Another statement showed a Standing Order had been set up for a monthly amount.

Mr Brocklehurst said his client, who wept through much of the proceedings, would repay the remaining balance next April, when new laws would allow her to cash in pension plans.

He said there was some indication of a potential for forgiveness by the family.

Chairman of the Bench, Rebecca Todd, said it was a very sad situation.

Arnold was given a four-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, with an activity requirement with the Together Women Project. She was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and an £80 Victims Surcharge, at £5 a week, but no order was made for compensation.

After the case, Miss Whittingham's grandson, Oliver Clark, said Arnold had been let off lightly and the court should have enforced the payments.

He said: "If she had sorted it out when it first came to light, it wouldn't have come to this.

"I don't think the family will forgive her. She hasn't shown any remorse and has been hostile towards us. My gran is poorly because of this and does not want anything to do with her."