A church worker has avoided a prison sentence after stealing nearly £100,000 that was meant to support the homeless and fund food banks.

Francisca Yawson, 37, was condemned by a judge who said children may have gone hungry “while you were helping yourself to a high lifestyle” using the stolen money.

Southwark Crown Court heard that Yawson worked as a gift aid and operations technician for the Diocese of Westminster, part of the Roman Catholic Church, between September 2018 and August 2019. During that period, the mother of four made nine bank transfers to herself.

Yawson previously pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and appeared at Southwark Crown Court for sentencing.

Judge Mark Weekes said she had been “funding yourself to a reasonably good standard of lifestyle , grossly and dishonestly.” He added that the money could have been used to support homeless people and families relying on food banks, telling Yawson it would remain on her “conscience” that children may have gone hungry while she benefited from the funds.