Woman Goes On Shopping Spree After A HUGE Amount Was Deposited In Her Account In Error (PICTURED)

A young woman went on a marathon shopping spree hours after a bungling council accidentally credited her bank account with £52,000, a court heard yesterday.

Michaela Hutchings, 23, spent £9,000 on expensive designer clothes, sunglasses and other items after finding the money in her account.

Instead of reporting the error, she also gave her mother Elaine £1,000 in cash, before she was caught by police.

After she was caught, officers discovered she had transferred £40,000 into an investment account after taking advice from her bank, which was unaware of the mistake.

The mother of one was found guilty of dishonesty and retaining a wrongly credited bank transfer when she appeared at Stafford Crown Court on Monday. Recorder Derek Desmond told her: ‘A little over £52,000 was put into your account in error.

‘That had nothing to do with you. You didn’t cause that error, but you decided to keep it.’

He added that Hutchings, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, was encouraged to spend the money by her boyfriend at the time.

He said: ‘I have no doubt you were influenced by your partner – he wanted to spend the money. You went on a spending spree and between you, you spent £9,000. This man who spurred you on is no longer in your life – no doubt your family will be glad about that.’

Hutchings, who is believed to be a single stay-at-home mother, was given a 12-month community order and told to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

The court heard an administrative error meant Lichfield District Council accidentally transferred £52,000 into her account instead of paying Bromford Housing Association.