Chief Justice Richard Ground ordered a social inquiry report yesterday into the family circumstances of a 53-year-old Pembroke woman who was found guilty of stealing more than $30,000 from British American Insurance.

Karen Irvina Cross, 53, of St John?s Hill, denied stealing between August 1996 and September 2000. Cross disputed that amount, saying it was just $2,581but after a special Newton hearing to hear both sides Mr. Justice Ground said that based on records found in receipt payment books and British American?s computer he was ?absolutely certain on the basis of the evidence? that she took the greater amount.

?I am quite satisfied that the defendant was not giving this money to the cashiers, but was collecting it from the customers and dishonestly keeping it for her own purposes,? Chief Justice Richard Ground concluded.

?It may be that she used some or all of (the stolen money) to pay for her medical treatment, and that in doing so she was motivated by a sense of grievance that her employer, who was also her insurer, was not meeting the full cost.

?That may explain why she did what she did, but it does not make it any the less dishonest,? Mr. Justice Ground said.

Cross was not sentenced yesterday, because Crown counsel Graveney Bannister asked for psychological report and her lawyer, Delroy Duncan, requested a social enquiry report.

Cross? bail $10,000 bail with one surety was continued. She was granted special permission to fly for medical resaons.

Mr. Justice Ground said that granting bail was an ?unusual course after a conviction of a fairly substantial amount of money from her employees.?

Cross?s release would ?let the reports be carried out in her own environment?.

He described her bail as ?an act of mercy in view of her illness?. However, he made it plain to the Court that Cross should understand that an immediate custodial sentence will most likely result and it would be a mistake for her to think otherwise.

?This is an act of temporary leniency to you on behalf of the court,? he said.