A MOTHER stole a teacher's handbag when she went to collect her son's sweatshirt from school, a court heard.

Kirsty Gordani took the bag in the hope that it contained cash that she could use to pay off debts to drug dealers. But when she could find no cash she discarded the bag in a rubbish bin in Cropthorne.

Gordani, aged 27, of Fulbert Road, Pershore, appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on Tuesday and admitted a charge of theft.

Lesley Ashton, prosecuting, said: "On Friday, January 25, the owner of the handbag was on duty at the school. She had placed her handbag on a peg and stayed at the school.

"At 3.30pm she spotted her handbag was missing.

"Mrs Gordani had been on the premises to collect her son's sweatshirt."

Mrs Ashton said police arrested Gordani and the bag was recovered with all the belongings still inside.

"Mrs Gordani made full admissions," she said.

"She said she had entered the classroom, seen the handbag and because she was desperate for money on the spur of the moment she took it."

The court heard that Gordani had previously been addicted to heroin but was now clean.

However, she said she owed money to dealers and was under pressure to pay them off when the offence took place.

In mitigation Mark Lister said: "Throughout the last few years her offending was out of hand and she has received a number of prison sentences."

"Since she last came out of prison she has made considerable efforts to deal with her drug problems and has been clean for about eight months now," he added.

Mr Lister said Gordani's five-year-old son had previously been placed on the at risk' register by social services, but was no longer in that category. He told the court Gordani's mother, whom she lives with, helps her to look after the child.

Magistrates adjourned the case against Gordani to Wednesday, March 12, to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. Gordani was released on bail until that date.