Dorothy, 97, couldn't afford a pint of milk after granddaughter stole her savings

Karen Brough, 40, stole more than 8,000 pounds from Dorothy Brough's pension, using some of the cash to buy carpets and pay a speeding fine.

Brough forged her grandmother's signature on cheques before paying them into her account. As a result, Mrs Brough was so hard-up, staff at her warden-controlled home in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire, were forced to buy her milk and bread.

The theft only came to light after the pensioner's death last February.

Brough, of Driffield, pleaded guilty to six counts of fraudulently obtaining money at Hull Crown Court and was sentenced to six months in prison.

Over a three-year period, Brough paid cheques of between 100 and 300 into her own bank account.

Judge Roger Thorn QC told Brough: "How you came to involve yourself with forgery and theft of your grandmother's property absolutely leaves me bereft of understanding.

"You spent the money on carpets and a speeding ticket and it came to light because a carer notice how little money she had.

"How you could do this to a 97-year-old person beggars belief but to your own family member, your grandmother, is a mystery.

"You waited for her pension to be paid to her and then forged her signatures on cheques. It was inevitable that you would be found out.

"This was an offence of greed on your part and a breach of trust."

Police launched an investigation after Mrs Brough's carer told them she had noticed how little money she sometimes had.

The court previously heard Brough was unemployed and had debts totalling 15,000. The stolen money has been refunded to the late Mrs Brough's estate by her bank.