A ST JOHN Ambulance treasurer stole more than £6,000 to finance the best treatment for her dying daughter and to make her last days more comfortable, a court heard yesterday.

Volunteer treasurer Petra Randle, aged 45, of Rectory Road, Crumlin, immediately admitted to the police what she had done, said prosecutor John Probert.

Cardiff crown court heard that in 1999 her daughter became seriously ill and she used the money to obtain the best treatment possible for her.

It is understood Randle's daughter, Victoria, died at the age of 16 while awaiting a heart transplant, after she contracted a viral infection of the heart.

Randle, who joined St John in 1993, was convicted by Blackwood magistrates of one charge of theft and two of obtaining money by deception, and committed to the crown court for sentence.

Yesterday she was jailed for ten months, but the sentence was suspended for two years. She was also ordered to pay £6,115 compensation and costs of £90.

The funds she stole would have been raised by various charity events such as street collections, and donations, the charity says.

Judge David Morris told her: "You deprived the St John Ambulance organisation of more than £6,000 by obtaining it at regular intervals from two accounts.

"You did so deliberately with the intention of using the money for your own purposes, knowing you had no right to do it.

"You forged the signature of another person who must have come under suspicion."

He said it was a breach of trust and treasurers must know that they must discharge their duties honestly and properly. He added Randle's husband was unaware of her actions - and when he was informed, was so shocked that their 25- year marriage broke down.

Mr Probert said Randle was treasurer of the Hafodyrynys branch of St John Ambulance.

In March and April 2001, divisional treasurer Marion Hook investigated the accounts, but when she heard Randle's 16-year-old daughter had died, "backed off".

But she later discovered that money was taken from a building society account and a bank account holding funds.

When arrested, Randle said: "Can I pay it back?", admitting forging a signature to withdraw the funds.

At the time of her daughter's illness she said money was "extremely tight" and she decided to "borrow" the £6,000.

David Evans, mitigating, said: "This is a very tragic case. She lost her child at a very early age. She feels bitter shame and remorse."

The money was spent mainly on her daughter, who for a long period was in hospital in London, he said.

After the case St John Ambulance said Randle was dismissed as a member of the organisation.

Keith Dunn, executive director for St John Ambulance in Wales, said: "Our procedure is to ask for cash books regularly, and we were requesting them for around six or eight months. Mrs Randle reassured us that that the cash was there. Eventually, we contacted the police.

"The public expects that every pound donated to any charity, including St John, should be used for the purpose for which it was donated."