A SALESWOMAN with a secret cocaine problem pocketed more than £4,500 which should have gone to her bosses, a court heard.

And in the end the employers of Donna Parker, had gone under amid the fallout out from the deal, Minshull Street Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Neil Ronan said she had taken a large order for fence posts and decking from a contractor, Geraint Jones, who had been impressed by Trade Composite's deliveries beforehand.

But then the order, and another smaller consignment, valued at £4,701, was initially delayed, Mr Ronan told the court.

And when it arrived but was incomplete the contractor, who had an angry leisure park customer demanding the wood, told her bosses.

An investigation was undertaken, the court heard, and bank transfers were checked.

Mr Ronan said it became apparent that Parker had transferred the funds from the sale into her own account.

Later Mr Jones told police that he had been forced to pay out from his own pocket, to keep his customer happy.

Bosses at Trade Composite also told investigating officers that Parker had only been given the sales job as her husband used to work there and it was known that the family would benefit from the extra money.

Parker had been given two weeks to return the money by her employers, the court heard, and when this was not forthcoming they called in the police. It was confirmed that with the suppliers still seeking money from them, the company had ceased trading.

Defence counsel Mark Harper said the deception by his client was always going to be found out and was not a sophisticated crime.

Parker. who had developed a serious cocaine problem around the time of the offence, which was not known to her family, had shown "genuine remorse", he told the court.

The mother-of-two, who had no previous convictions, would now face the same of knowing her good name had been taken away, as a result of her offending, he added.

Her marriage had also broken down, in part, due to the offences coming to light and the family home was being sold, said Mr Harper.

Parker, of Norman Street, Failsworth, pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false representation to make a gain for herself.

She was given a six-month prison term, suspended for 12 months, by Judge Mark Savill.

The judge also ordered her to complete 200 hours of community service and observe a three-month curfew between 7pm and 8am.

Parker must also repay the missing money back to Mr Jones in compensation.

Passing sentence, Judge Savill said: "You were employed by a small business - they are the organisations that suffer most greatly from dishonesty by employees as they are less able to absorb the cost.

"You were given the opportunity to repay the money and you didn’t, and eventually, s these things do, it caught up with you."