A PUB landlady allegedly took £17,500 from her alcoholic partner's bank account while he was recovering from his addiction, a jury heard.

Heather Davies, 44, of Highfield Road, Pontllanfraith, and the former licensee of Porters public house in Blackwood, allegedly forged cheques for sums up to £10,300 in her partner's name as well as using his debit card to make payments and withdraw over £1,000 in cash.

The suspect transactions even included a £5,544.70 payment towards her daughter's schoolfees at an English boarding school.

Jonathan Smith - her partner in a relationship as well as the pub business - also claims she forged a cheque for £10,336.27 made out to a company called SRM Ltd, used his debit card to pay £500 to a Cardiff food wholesaler and withdrew £1,200 from an ATM in Blackwood High Street over four separate occasions.

Davies denies the ten counts of forgery, obtaining a monetary transfer by deception and theft.

The former landlady claims she had permission to use Mr Smith's account and that he authorised all the transactions.

The jury heard yesterday that the pair were boyfriend and girlfriend in their teens.

They went their separate ways for over 20 years, but got back in contact around two or three years ago.

They started a relationship and in January 2006 went into partnership running Porters pub - with all the financial investment coming from Mr Smith.

But Sharon Bahia, prosecuting, told the court that in May 2006, Mr Smith gave up his job as a recruitment manager for the MoD and went into rehab for his alcohol problems.

He gave Davies his debit card and pin number "in case of emergencies" and to pay bills during the treatment, then after coming out of the clinic, returned to work in Milton Keynes.

Mr Smith claims he knew nothing of the suspect cheques, transfers and cash withdrawals until he was called by Abbey National bank's fraud team.

He said he confronted Davies, who gave him "no answer" when quizzed about the money.

But cross-examining, Marion Lewis, put it to Mr Smith that Davies had his permission to use the account for all the transactions.

"Such was your relationship that she would lend you money when you needed it and you would lend her money when she needed it," she said.

Mr Smith replied: "No, you are misinformed."

Proceeding