A former receptionist at the Cambridge Beaches resort received a conditional discharge yesterday after she admitted stealing money from the hotel.

Magistrate’s Court heard that Lanell Burrows pleaded guilty at an earlier appearance to stealing $569 from her employer in December last year.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo warned Burrows, 44, that a conviction could be recorded against her if she appeared before the courts in the next six months.

Burrows created an unauthorised return on her debit card and was caught after the hotel introduced a new card processing system in January.

Records showed she was the only receptionist working at the time when the transaction, which involved a total of $568.93, was made.

Burrows, from Warwick, told the court that the hotel had got its money back.

She added she had transferred the money for her mother, who had problems with her room while staying at the resort.

Burrows said: “It’s very embarrassing for me. I have never been in this situation before.

“It was definitely a learning experience for me and it will never ever happen again.”

Mr Tokunbo said: “Whether or not you feel your mother has been mistreated, you cannot take it upon yourself to take someone else’s property.”