A DROITWICH Spa worker who was imprisoned for stealing £1,800 from the shop she managed was freed from prison yesterday.

Theresa Stevens was jailed for eight months at Worcester Crown Court, two months ago, after pleading guilty to theft and attempting to pervert the court of justice.

But Appeal Court judges overturned the sentence.

Police were called to Martins' Newsagents, in Farmers Way, Westlands, in October 2000.

The 44-year-old, who lived on the Westlands estate at the time, managed the store and was found in a highly distressed state, claiming robbers had threatened to set her alight unless she surrendered the cash box.

There was a smell of petrol in the shop.

Detectives' suspicions were aroused when statements made by Stevens and her husband, Alan, did not tally.

Stevens eventually admitted there had been no robbery.

She had not intended to keep the money, but was under intense pressure at the time of the offence, said Judge James Maddison.

The cash box was later found without loss.

Judge Maddison -- sitting with Judge Sir Richard Tucker -- threw out the jail term after hearing that Stevens had been suffering acute depression at the time.

Substituting a two-year community rehabilitation order, the judge said this was a wholly exceptional case.

He added: "This woman needs the help of the probation and psychiatric services."