A South African mother-of-two who stole her niece's passport so she could apply for a job at a care agency has been jailed for six months.

Homeless Sibusisiwe Ntsikane, 26, was arrested in Bradley Stoke, where she was working for a Bath-based care agency.

Ntsikane admitted to the theft straight away and told police she stole her niece's passport because she needed employment to support her children back home in South Africa.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Ntsikane was not allowed to work in the UK because her visitors' visa had expired in 2007.

Ntsikane will be deported after serving her sentence.

Imposing sentence, Judge David Ticehurst told Ntsikane a custodial sentence was inevitable because she was not supposed to be working in the UK.

"I will immediately impose a six-month custodial sentence on you as you are aware that you are not supposed to be here," he said.

"If you behave very well you will serve half of the sentence, thereafter, you will be deported.

"It's a matter entirely in the hands of the Home Office."