A local woman got rid of £36,000 just months before she was declared bankrupt with debts of £85,000, a judge heard on Wednesday.

Sharron Haynes, aged 33, withdrew the money in cash in less than a three-week period and then could not prove what she had done with the money.

Haynes, previously of Somerton Style, Carew but more recently of Penlan, Sageston, admitted an offence under the 1986 Insolvency Act of failing to provide a satisfactory explanation for loss within 12 months of the presentation of a petition for bankruptcy.

Janet Gedrych, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court that on September 14, 2007, Haynes banked £36,000 after selling a house.

By October 5 she had withdrawn almost all of it in cash, on one occasion taking out £20,300.

At that time, said Miss Gedrych, Haynes had had debts of about £57,000.

On February 13, 2008, she was made bankrupt with debts of £85,000.

Her explanation to the Official Receiver was that she had not expected to become pregnant and that the costs of a building project had run out of control.

When asked for more details she said she could not remember the name of the building firm she had hired.

And when asked for documents like invoices or receipts, she said she had burned them because she had not expected to need them any more.

Miss Gedrych said when Haynes was pressed for more detail she added 'beauty treatments' to her costs.

Her barrister, Chris James, said Haynes had not been deliberately dishonest and in October, 2007, she had not expected to become bankrupt.

He said a prison sentence was not necessary. Nor was the single mother of two in a position to pay a financial penalty as she was living off state benefits.

Judge Paul Thomas said if Haynes had deliberately tried to deceive the Official Receiver he would have sent her to jail.

But the offending was now four years old and she had not been in trouble either before or since.

Haynes was conditionally discharged for two years.