A YOUNG mother of three who wrote cheques totalling �2,130 which she knew would bounce was yesterday given a last chance by a judge and ordered to pay back the money.

A YOUNG mother of three who wrote cheques totalling �2,130 which she knew would bounce was on Monday given a last chance by a judge and ordered to pay back the money.

Samantha Falquero, 26, issued the cheques for a number of services including a carpet supplier and pest control service, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Falquero, of Kingsway, Earsham, admitted fraud.

The court heard she had previous convictions for deception and blackmail.

Judge Paul Downes imposed a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and an 18-month supervision order.

She was also ordered to pay �2,130 compensation to the people she had issued the cheques to.

Judge Downes told her: "This is a last chance."

He said that if she carried on offending she could expect longer sentences to be imposed by the courts.

Jamie Sawyer, mitigating, said the frauds could easily be detected.

He said the cheques were for a genuine bank account held in Falquero's name and all the cheques would later come back to her.