A convicted fraudster employed as a bookkeeper at a cash-strapped social club in Bristol plundered £13,000 from her employer, a court heard.

But Hayley Wilkins, who had stolen from two different employers before, walked free from court after a judge told her she was escaping a prison term by the "skin of her teeth".

Bristol Crown Court heard that the 46-year-old had deposited cheques made out to utility companies by Patchway Labour Club directly into her sons' bank accounts.

She changed the name of the payee on some of the cheques from SWEB, an energy company, to SWEBB, the first initial and surname of her son Samuel Webb.

The court was told that Wilkins, of Cogan Road, Staple Hill, took the money from the club in Coniston Road despite knowing it was struggling with huge debts.

Crown Prosecutor Julian Howells said Wilkins was employed by the club to work three hours a week and was there for 14 months from 2007 to 2008.

She was asked to settle a debt with SWEB by paying cheques written by the club's chairman but suspicions were aroused when the heating failed to work and the debt remained outstanding.

Mr Howells said 14 cheques were deposited by Wilkins, most into the bank account of her son Samuel Webb and others into the account of her son Billy Powell.

The club's chairman Andrew Wheeler noticed the cheques made out to the energy companies had been cashed in Downend, which is close to where Wilkins lived.

When she was asked about the missing money, she sent a text message to Mr Wheeler saying: "Can you help me? I've done something horrible and I want to curl up and die."

Mother-of-three Wilkins originally only admitted stealing £8,000 but further investigation revealed she had taken £13,070. She told her son Samuel the money was a bonus she had received from work.

She told police she had taken the money because her husband had died and left debts of £40,000. Wilkins pleaded guilty to fraud in September and has two previous convictions for stealing from employers, in 1997 and 2000.

Jo Atherton, defending, said: "She was aware the social club was in debt but not the extent to which it was and she is very remorseful.

"The money was not used to lead a high lifestyle but to keep the bailiffs from the door."

She said Wilkins had three part-time jobs and had managed to save up £1,000 which she could pay back to the Labour club.

Ms Atherton added that her client's daughter and new husband would lose their council home if she was sent to prison.

Judge David Ticehurst sentenced Wilkins to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered her to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and pay back the £13,070 to the club.

He said: "It's quite clear this is a pattern of dishonesty which has been repeated habitually whenever you find yourself in financial difficulty.

"You have escaped prison by the skin of your teeth."