A hardened criminal has been jailed for almost two years - after stealing £1.80 while preying on a flood victim.

Amanda Queen, 45, burgled the living area of a city hostel into which a mum and her two children had moved in the aftermath of Storm Desmond.

Queen, who has a criminal record stretching to more than 100 offences, was caught red-handed by the woman.

She found her rummaging through belongings which had earlier been salvaged from her devastated home.

At the time, Queen was living on a different floor of the same hostel.

At first she sought to deny a crime committed on April 24, initially claiming to be in the wrong room.

She then made an attempt to absolve herself of blame by grabbing bacterial spray and cloths to pretend she was cleaning.

But she later admitted a charge of burglary and was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court to 22 months in jail.

Tim Evans, prosecuting, said the victim's two children were asleep in a locked bedroom at the hostel when Queen sneaked in their living area at about 8.45pm.

The woman returned from a communal kitchen to find possessions scattered on the floor.

She then saw the burglar crouching behind a bathroom door clutching £1.80 in coins.

"She challenged her about the money that the defendant had in her hand," said Mr Evans.

"The complainant was quite sure it was her money because she could see it was dirty with flood water and other detritus from the flooding."

The two children had not been disturbed.

But a statement provided by the victim laid bare the impact of Queen's crime.

Mr Evans said: "She doesn't now feel safe where she is living but, of course, she cannot move anywhere else.

"There is the additional stress of that on top of the stress she suffered by Storm Desmond."

Queen committed the burglary just a month after being released from a previous jail term on licence.

Keith Thomas, defending, said Queen had been guilty of an "opportunist" crime and had not targeted her victim.

But Judge Peter Davies concluded that Queen knew vulnerable people were living in the hostel - including the woman she burgled.

"She was just one of a number of victims of these floods who deserved consideration and it must have been obvious to you," said Judge Davies.

"But you didn't care; you weren't interested.

"You saw her disadvantage; you saw her distress but sought to take advantage and steal for yourself.

"You got away with £1.80 but if you could have done you would have got away with more."