A FORMER pub worker has been handed a suspended 26-week jail term after helping himself to thousands of pounds of bar takings.

Steven Smith was an employee at the Bucket and Space pub in Yew Tree Drive when he committed the theft on September 27.

North Somerset Courthouse this week heard 45-year-old Smith, of Longridge Way, swiped �4,198 from the Orchard Group-owned watering hole.

He pleaded guilty to a single charge of theft, and was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for six months.

The bench ruled a custodial sentence was necessary because the offence involved a ‘significant breach of trust involving a large amount of money’.

They also said the situation had been aggravated by the fact Smith had previous convictions for a similar offences.

Smith was also ordered to repay the �4,198 in full, and foot the �85 court bill.