Model's ex-PA spared jail

Model Erin O’Connor’s personal assistant was spared a jail sentence today after admitting stealing thousands of pounds from her boss to fund her own lavish lifestyle.

Michelle Knox-Brown, 46, abused her position to pay for holidays to Morocco, India, Spain and America using the Marks & Spencer model’s credit card.

Kingston Crown Court heard that the three-year fraud had left O’Connor “doubting herself” and “tampered with her outlook and ability to trust others”.

Knox-Brown, of Glyn Road, Clapton, east London, showed no emotion as she was given a 40-week suspended prison sentence and ordered to do 200 hours’ unpaid community work.

Judge Andrew Campbell said Knox-Brown, who was paid more than £45,000 (€50,000) a year for the three-and-a-half-days-a-week job, had “let Miss O’Connor down very badly”.

She had pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud at an earlier hearing, which included stealing £10,251 and spending £1,607 on taxis.