A fraudster who conned her victim out of her life savings, her home and jewellery has been jailed for eight months.

Mary Inglis was duped into thinking Helen Tebay could help her with two complicated legal cases.

But in reality Tebay was milking her for everything she could get.

And when Mrs Inglis, who at the time lived in Cliftonville, ran out of money, she borrowed from friends and relatives to pay Mrs Tebay.

The cases related to Mrs Inglis's loss of employment at a hospital in Jersey and to treatment she received at Margate Hospital in the 1990s.

Tebay, 50, had addresses in Royal Road and Plains of Waterloo, Ramsgate, at the time but now lives at Hill Road, Basingstoke.

She was due at court in 2003 but went on the run.

Tebay eventually appeared at Canterbury Crown Court in February and March this year.

She admitted stealing more than £19,000 from Mrs Inglis between December 1999 and December 2001.

She also admitted failing to surrender.

Tebay, who had previous convictions for deception and theft, was told by Miss Recorder Davinder Dhaliwal yesterday the theft was a "clear breach of trust" and "pre-planned".

Tebay was jailed for six months for the theft and a consecutive two months for the bail act offence.

Jailing Tebay Miss Recorder Dhaliwal said aggravating features were that the victim was a vulnerable woman, she had to spend her life savings and borrow funds.

"It beggars belief that you knew what she was doing yet persisted in your actions, giving her attendance notes and charging her for them," she said.

"It was clearly pre-planned and sophisticated and so serious there can only be an immediate custodial sentence."