Bank clerk stole £46,000 for sprees and surgery

A mother-of-one has admitted stealing £46,000 over an eight-week period from a bank where she had worked as a clerk.

It is understood aspiring model Rachael Claire Martin spent a portion of the pilfered cash on breast enlargement surgery, dental work, lipo-suction, hair extensions and make-up.

The Western Morning News understands Martin splashed out £4,000 going under the surgeon's knife for her breast surgery and £1,700 on expensive dental work including treatment to whiten her teeth.

She is also said to have travelled to Bristol on wild spending sprees and closer to home, enjoyed nights out on the stolen money.

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The 24-year-old was working at a branch of Barclays Bank in Cornwall when she began dipping her fingers into the till.

Initially she was charged with 25 separate counts of theft from the bank at St Austell, Mid-Cornwall, between September 1 and October 3 2010.

Ever since her arrest, Martin has consistently denied the allegations.

However, yesterday on what should have been the first day of a week-long trial at Truro Crown Court, she decided to change her plea to guilty.

Prosecutors had earlier shrunk the 25 counts of theft to just one charge covering the same amount of money and dates.

Dressed in black with a leopard print coat, Martin spoke during the hearing only to confirm her name and to enter a guilty plea to the new single count of theft.

Martin, of Tremayne Road, St Austell, attended court alone and remained calm throughout proceedings.

Mr Recorder Jeremy Wright released her from the dock on unconditional bail and ordered pre-sentence reports to be carried out by the Probation Service.

The defendant is most likely to be sentenced sometime in September.

While at the bank, Martin stole amounts of either £1,000 or £2,000 a time, squirrelling funds into her own account.

On one occasion alone, she managed to swindle £6,000 from the bank's coffers.

It is said that by the time detectives caught up with Martin, she had already spent all of the stolen money.