A DISABLED woman was used 'like a cash machine' by fraudsters who pocketed almost £700 in a Christmas saving scheme con, a court heard.

The 51-year-old woman, who cares for her 80-year-old mother, was tricked out of the cash by a relative and a woman posing as an agent for a national savings scheme.

Another victim lost more than £100 to the scam conducted by Angela Turnbull.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday (December 30) heard the 38-year-old established herself as an agent for the savings company in October last year.

Alison Howey, prosecuting, said she then contacted her first victim, who agreed to purchase £645 of catalogue vouchers to save for Christmas 2015.

Turnbull and Craig Harry Hudspeth, 29, both of Wesley Street, Willington, County Durham, collected £670 - an overpayment of £25 - from the woman's home in the same town but spent it on alcohol and other items, the court was told.

After saving for ten months and with no sign of the vouchers, the victim contacted the company and alerted officers to the scam.

It was then discovered that a Crook woman had been deceived into spending £117 for vouchers between March and June this year.

Hudspeth, a relative of the first victim, admitted to police he had collected and spent some of the money while Turnbull admitted she started to 'dip' into it.

Magistrates heard when asked by officers if she used the victim like a cash machine, she answered 'yes'.

Nick Woodhouse, mitigating, said Turnbull acted out of character and was undergoing financial difficulties as a result of Hudspeth moving in.

A probation officer told the court Turnbull claimed she had previously been an agent for the saving company and said the money was "used for Hudspeth's two addictions, gambling and alcohol".

Pleading guilty to fraud by false representation, Hudspeth was given a community order with 60 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months.

He must pay compensation of £355 to Ms Beck and prosecution costs of £85.

Turnbull was handed a community order with 100 hours of unpaid work to carry out in a period of 12 months after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation.

She was ordered to pay compensation of £355 to the first victim, £117 to the second, and prosecution costs of £85.