An Ashford woman who took Eurostar for a nine-year ride has been given a one-way ticket... straight to prison.

Pauline Burgess, 58, worked for the Ashford-based train company operating its refunds from a special account.

But from 2003 to 2011, she put through 170 bogus refunds totalling more than £52,000, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

James Bilsland, prosecuting, said train officials launched an enquiry after it was discovered the account had a deficit.

He said it was Burgess' job to handle group sales and then arrange refunds to passengers if tickets were not used.

"In 2003 she put through two refunds, followed by 14, 26, 27, 33,20,24,13 and 10 in the years up to 2011 – totalling £52,861 in nine years," he said.

Burgess, of Cleves Walk, was jailed for 12 months after she admitted the fraud – blaming it on her personal debt.

She said she took out a credit card and things spiralled out of control and she began stealing to meet repayments.

But Judge Simon James told her: "Your story is all too familiar in these courts –but that doesn’t make it any less tragic.

"Seduced by easy credit you got yourself into debt and then perhaps because you were too proud or too ashamed you turned to stealing as a way out.”

The judge said she had "helped herself for almost nine years" to more than £50,000 – viewing it as "part of her remuneration" from the company.

"I regard the shame and loss of your employment has already been significant punishment," he said.

"However there are many people, especially in today’s economic climate, who fall into debt, yet they do not turn to dishonesty.

"Although it gives me absolutely no pleasure to do so, I am reluctantly drawn to the conclusion that only an immediate custodial sentence is justified."

The court heard that Burgess kept the debt and her stealing hidden from her husband and on occasions, driven by guilt, bought train tickets from Eurostar and then did not use them.

Mr Bilsland added: "She explained that she viewed it somehow as some form of reimbursement."

Richard Ashley, defending, said: "For two years she was juggling the debts and that’s when the thefts began.

"She bought nothing extravagant, no big cars or expensive jewellery. She was just using the money to meet the £1,000 a month card bills.

"She said she didn’t tell her husband because she feared he might leave her. She felt trapped, unable to find a way out of the debt."