A GREAT Yarmouth Argos cashier defrauded her employers out of £128 so she could spend the money on Christmas presents, a court heard today.Claire Pike gave four customers at the store on Gapton Hall blank gift cards and kept the money for herself to buy presents for her family and friends.

A GREAT Yarmouth Argos cashier defrauded her employers out of £128 so she could spend the money on Christmas presents, a court heard today.

Claire Pike gave four customers at the store on Gapton Hall blank gift cards and kept the money for herself to buy presents for her family and friends.

Pike, 22, of El Alamein Way, Bradwell, was ordered to carry out 60 hours unpaid work after she admitted abusing her position as a cashier to make a financial gain of £88 from between last October and January.

She also asked for three similar offences, totalling £40, to be taken into consideration.

Gary Mayle, prosecuting, said that Pike's fraud was discovered after a customer tried to use a gift card and was told it was blank.

An Argos investigation discovered that Pike had been handing out the blank cards and then spent the money in its Norwich store.

The court heard that Pike had no previous convictions and had not made any money from her reckless crimes as she had given the proceeds away as presents.

Ross Burrows, in mitigation, said: “These are not the actions of anyone with a criminal mentality. It was a completely unsophisticated crime.”

As well as 60 hours unpaid work magistrates ordered Pike to pay £128 compensation to Argos and £60 towards prosecution costs.