A RENTON woman who embezzled thousands of pounds from the housing association where she worked has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Julie Montague has repaid the £7,755 she stole from Cordale Housing Association in 2015 in full, Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Friday.

However, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said that was just the "first hurdle cleared" and reminded the 39-year-old she must now carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, reduced from 120 hours on account of her guilty plea which came "fairly late in the day".

A previous hearing was told that Montague had had responsibility for overseeing financial management at the association, along with all financial transactions.

Montague, of Johnstone Road in Renton, resigned after a discrepancy relating to a cash payment of £690 was discovered in August 2015.

After the association's bank statements were audited, a further discrepancy of £7,085 was discovered.