A BANK clerk who systematically took cash from an elderly woman's

account was jailed for four months yesterday at Perth Sheriff Court.

Elaine Leadbetter, 27, of Gowanrigg, Forfar, admitted embezzling

#16,100 while employed at Milnathort and Kinross branches of the

Clydesdale Bank.

Depute fiscal Therese Oswald said the cash was taken over a period of

2[1/2] years from the account of a pensioner who has since died.

Leadbetter initially satisfied her superiors that the customer had

made the withdrawals. However, further investigation established that

she had been taking cash from the account.

Mr Paul McGregor, defending, said Leadbetter, who has a two-year-old

son, had moved from Kinross to her present home partly because of the

stigma she had brought on herself.

She had felt changes at the bank caused disillusion, distress, and

poor morale which was not conducive to loyal

ty.

Her father-in-law had helped her to repay the sum involved with

interest -- a total of #17,580.