A DISGRACED country club manager pilfered £25,000 from funds to spend on rugby tickets and her daughter’s orthodontist bills.

Caroline O’Hagan stole the vast sums from the Selsey Country Club where she was the general manager.

The 56-year-old “betrayed” members by splashing out using the club’s company credit card and cheque book.

Club directors became suspicious and forced an emergency meeting to look into the situation.

O’Hagan tried to cover up her crimes by wiping a laptop, and feigned illness as the creditors were called in.

She had also taken out loans in the country club’s name, leaving the members exposed to up to £80,000 worth of repayments.

At Lewes Crown Court she was described as being “useless” at understanding finances.

O’Hagan was spared a prison sentence because the case had taken years to come to court.

Hugh Forgan, prosecuting, said the stealing took place between 2013 and 2016.

The club called an emergency meeting in 2016.

New finance manager Peter Lofthouse found “irregularities” which O’Hagan had tried to hide as normal expenses with “misleading entries” on the club’s accounts.

Jonathan Underhill, defending, said O’Hagan has debts and said she has “struggled with money management” and looking after children with care needs.

“At times she has found life incredibly difficult, especially when, as she accepts, she is useless at money management and has struggled bringing children up on her own,” he said.

He said was remorseful for her crimes.

Judge Mark Van Der Swart said: “You have blamed the previous manager for suggesting your hard work and long hours should be better remunerated.

“That is not accepted and there is no way we can check as this person is now dead.

“Even if it were true, it is still obviously dishonest, yet you did it.

“You may have tried to justify this on the basis that you felt unappreciated or hard done by. But this is nobody’s fault apart from your own.

“There is no excuse for this rank dishonesty. It amounts to a significant betrayal of the officers and members of the club.

“The delay in this case will have weighed heavily on you. You have lost your good name and suffered the humiliation of your own disgrace. You are now genuinely ashamed.”

The judge imposed an 18-month suspended sentence.

O’Hagan, of St Alban’s Road, Havant, must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work.