A PICKMERE cleaner, who admitted stealing large sums of cash and sentimental jewellery from her trusting employers, has been handed a three-year prison sentence.

Angela Davenport, 51, of Pickmere Lane, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday, December 12.

The court heard how, over a period of about 12 years, Davenport stole a number of valuables from neighbours and friends, who employed her as a cleaner.

Myles Wilson, prosecuting, said that Davenport was first suspected of stealing after one employer noticed that jewellery, which had been passed down through the family, was missing from her locked safe.

The victim reached out to other people she knew employed Davenport as a cleaner and discovered that items had also been stolen from their property – including engagement rings and large sums of cash.

Many of the heirlooms were later spotted on an auctioneer’s sale brochure.

At first, Davenport, who was trusted enough to be given a house key by some employers, denied the charges but, once presented with the brochure, admitted to some of the offences.

Nicholas Williams, defending, said that Davenport used the money to pay the rent and that she felt deep, deep shame for what she had done.

“She finds it very difficult to live with herself,” he added. “She is a shadow of her former self. At the time, she didn’t have any money; the house had been handed down from grandparents and the rent couldn’t be paid so it was looking likely they were going to lose the house.”

Judge Elgan Edwards dismissed Davenport’s claim that her ‘financial situation was dire’ highlighting that her husband had come into a significant amount of money during the period in question.

This money had supposedly spent on accommodation for her donkeys and a new car.

He slammed Davenport for taking advantage of her position and targeting elderly people who trusted her.

Sentencing Davenport, Judge Edwards said: “I find it extremely sad a woman of your age, with no previous convictions, is before the court facing very serious charges. And they are very serious – it is not the value of the items, it was that they were stolen from people who trusted you, who were your friends, and it was done over a period of time, on a number of occasions.

“The distress you have suffered us nothing compared to the distress these people have suffered.”