yesterday sentenced in Supreme Court to 18 months in prison.

Sonja Annette Thomas, of Cobb's Hill Road, Paget, had previously pleaded guilty to stealing from the Manufacturer's Life Insurance Company.

She also admitted to five charges of forging, four charges of uttering, and four charges of obtaining money using false pretences.

Thomas stole a total of $105,078.07 from the company between January 3, 1990 and September 30, 1992.

Crown Counsel Mr. Peter Dejulio told the court that Thomas worked as a clerk at the insurance company when the offences occurred.

He said the company noticed three payments totaling $7,380.45 missing and investigations revealed that the cheques were made out to Thomas.

This prompted the company to launch a review of its operations which revealed that many cheques were made out to Thomas, Mr. Dejulio added.

Thomas used various methods to obtain money from the company. On one occasion when some one did not claim a death policy, Thomas processed and took the claim.

According to Mr. Dejulio, Thomas dealt mostly with stealing from policy owners, taking dividends on policies and premiums. Many of the policy owners had no idea.

Thomas' lawyer Ms Keren Lomas told the court about the great strain Thomas was under when she committed the offences.

Ms Lomas said Thomas was "carrying an excessive amount of responsibility that's not proportionate to her education''.

According to Ms Lomas, Thomas' personal life was also stressful.

Thomas' husband -- who she married in 1989 -- was busy working nights as a disc jockey or playing sports and gave her no help.

Ms Lomas said Thomas also gave birth to her second child 14 months after her first child.

"She was suffering from depression during this two-year period but to the outside world she was expected to put on a happy face because she was the support of the company and the family unit,'' Ms Lomas explained.

She also explained that the money was used for Thomas' family expenses, to pay off credit cards, and for "clothing for herself to try to get a little gratification for herself during this difficult time''.

According to Ms Lomas, Thomas was "glad to get this off her chest'' and had begun her rehabilitation by working as an on-call chambermaid and laundry worker at the Mid Ocean Club.

Mid Ocean Club general manager Mr. Brian Mewett testified that Thomas was placed in a position of trust and had been given a key to the guestrooms.

Thomas yesterday told Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ground she was deeply sorry and that "this is a part of my past I want to put behind me''.

Mr. Justice Ground said he took into account the mitigating circumstances, Thomas' remorse and guilty plea.

But he noted that Thomas had taken a large sum of money.

Mr. Justice Ground added that any punishment on Thomas was also a punishment on her four and five-year-old daughters.

Thomas was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing and six months for the other charges. The sentences are to run concurrently.