A THIEF who took £350 from a disabled woman he was supposed to be helping was spared jail.

Burnley magistrates heard how the wheelchair user victim had entrusted Alan David Taylor with her PIN as he had been taking her to the bank to help her withdraw cash.

The victim, who is partially sighted, diabetic and epileptic, looked on the defendant as a friend and felt upset and betrayed by his actions.

She was left unable to afford to carpet her flat. Taylor, meanwhile, spent the cash paying off his council tax bill.

Taylor, 28, of Parliament Street, Burnley, admitted two charges of theft on February 17 and 18.

He was given a two-year community order with supervision and must pay £350 compensation.

Bench chairman Anthony Green told Taylor the offences were particularly mean-spirited.' Janet Sime, defending, said it was out of character for Taylor to behave in such a manner.

She said: "He lost control of his senses because of pressure due to financial debts."