A FORMER dental practice manager was yesterday cleared of stealing almost £140,000 from her employer.

Susan Tonge, 44, of Dean Street, Newport, was acquitted of two counts of theft amounting to £137,876 from dentist Robert Willner's practice in the city's Bettws shopping centre.

On Wednesday the jury at Cardiff crown court found her not guilty of stealing £133,184 between May 2000 and May 2004.

Yesterday the jury cleared her of stealing £4,692 between January 2002 and May 2004 over allegations she awarded herself unauthorised pay rises to reach a final annual salary of nearly £33,000.

Mrs Tonge, who is godmother to one of Mr Willner's children, put her hands over her face as the foreman of the jury announced the not guilty verdict. She then turned to the jury and said: "Thank you."

During the six-day trial prosecutor Hywel Hughes had alleged Mr Willner was "ripped off by the person he trusted the most" - allegations Mrs Tonge denied.

Mr Hughes said Mrs Tonge was a "formidable woman" who "ran the practice with a rod of iron".

The jury were also told Mrs Tonge "used to flash jewellery" and spent more than £30,000 at Newport jewellers C L Jeffries.

Mrs Tonge admitted buying the jewellery at the shop but said she found £50,000 cash in a box of ornaments left to her by an aunt in her will.

During her cross-examination by Mr Hughes an emotional Mrs Tonge told the jury: "I did not steal any money. I would never have done it."

She told the court she had suffered two breakdowns since her arrest and saw a counsellor every week.