A shameful gambling addict who stole her mum’s inheritance and used it to fund her addiction has avoided jail.

Emma McGowen, 24, raided her mum’s safe that contained £10,000 in cash to spend online gambling and lost it all. Newcastle Moot Court heard the defendant’s mum inherited £15,000 after the death of her father and gave her daughter £5,000.

Her mum put the remaining cash in a safe in her home that could be accessed with a key on her keyring, the court heard. McGowen, of Staines Road, Walker, knew the cash was in the safe and began asking her mum to leave her keys.

It was when her mum went to book a holiday that she realised the cash had been taken, the court heard. The envelopes in the safe had been “ripped open”, the court heard, and when forensics were carried out the defendant’s fingerprints were found on the envelopes.

An investigation revealed money had been spent on gambling and shopping, with some cash transferred to another bank account.

In a victim impact statement, which was read out in court, the defendant’s mother said she was “shocked” her daughter had taken money from her and the incident had “broke my heart”. She added: “I love her but hate her for taking all that money from me.”

She added: “I’m still upset by what Emma did to me. It has split my family up and I struggle to pay the bills. But I would not be able to live with myself if she goes to prison. I don’t think she would cope well in prison.”

The defendant began gambling during the 22/23 Premier League Football Season with small amounts online but the amounts increased, the court was told. She also played online roulette games and lost thousands of pounds, the court heard.

She believed if she kept playing her “luck would change” the court was told.

McGowen, who pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years.