A PENSIONER was conned into buying forged raffle tickets purporting to raise money for Pershore Cottage Hospital.

The victim - in her 80s - handed over £2.50 for five tickets to Kathleen Skerratt who was accompanied by a girl, Worcester Crown Court heard.

When the pair had left her sheltered bungalow, she discovered pension money and a betting slip had also gone missing.

Recovering drug addict Skerratt, aged 33, of St Andrew's Road, Pershore, pleaded guilty to deception. She was given a three-year community rehabilitation order and ordered to pay back the victim's £2.50.

Her accomplice was dealt with by the youth court for the theft, which Skerratt knew nothing about, said Jane Sarginson, prosecuting.

Skerratt had been unsuccessful in selling the bogus tickets in pubs on Sunday, April 25, before going to the sheltered complex in Abbey Road, Pershore.

She asked for a drink of water. While the victim was fetching it, the co-accused went to another room to steal the cash.

Skerratt had a nine-year record for dishonesty, drugs, battery and harassment. She was jailed for three years in 1995, for robbery.

Abigail Nixon, defending, said she had suffered violence throughout her life and her partner killed himself after being charged with assaulting her.

Alcohol

She abused alcohol and took heroin but after spending nine weeks in custody for this offence on remand was making progress at a probation hostel.

Miss Nixon said she was free of drugs, having help for an eating disorder and was motivated to change her behaviour.

Judge Michael Mott told Skerratt her life had descended into "a complete mess" but there were promising signs that she was getting back on track.