A woman has pleaded guilty to stealing more than £5,000 from an elderly widow she befriended.

Karen Williams, 58, of Ayot Path, in Borehamwood, stole a total of £5,090 from the 76-year-old victim – who was disabled and housebound – between April and August last year.

Williams got to know the victim after her husband died, and would visit her at home before removing several bank cards from the victim’s handbag without her knowledge.

She would then tell the victim she was going out to run errands but instead would withdraw sums of money from various cashpoints in Borehamwood.

Williams would then return to the victim’s home and put the bank cards back in her handbag.

When the victim realised what had happened, she called the police and Williams was arrested.

Williams pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and one count of attempted theft at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on January 31.

She was given an eight-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, as well as pay back the full £5,090 in compensation to the victim.

Detective Constable Laura Chillingworth, from the Hertsmere Local Crime Unit, said: “What Williams did was despicable and the victim was left understandably shaken by what happened. I hope the magistrates’ ruling is of some comfort to her and her family.”