A Douglas woman has admitted taking money from TT fans for accommodation she never provided.

Kathryn Kelly, of Drury Terrace, took a total of £700 from two separate visitors who she was communicating with online but then cut off all contact two weeks before the TT started.

The fans were then left to sort out alternative accommodation at short notice.

The 46-year-old also admitted stealing goods from Superdrug and Marks and Spencer in two separate incidents.

In total, Kelly pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and will be sentenced on May 16 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecutor Hazel Carroon told the court that Kelly had offered to rent accommodation to two separate TT fans.

She took deposits and further payments via cash and bank transfers totalling £370 from one fan and £330 from the other.

Kelly communicated with the two visitors via Facebook messenger but two weeks prior to the TT she cut off all communication and stopped replying to their messages.

The two fans had no alternative but to find alternative accommodation.

Kelly was arrested and admitted taking £700 from the two men.

She told police she had originally intended to provide accommodation as she had been due to go to France but said that her plans had changed.

Kelly said she had also had personal issues and had ’blotted everything out’, admitting she stopped communicating with the men without attempting to pay any money back.

She was asked why she had taken two bookings when she only had one flat and she claimed that a friend had offered her the use of a second flat. However, no evidence of this was found.

The shop thefts occured on October 3 from Marks and Spencer and December 24 from Superdrug.

Kelly was seen leaving M&S with a pair of trousers without paying and did the same at Superdrug when she left with numerous items in a bag.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil said that, when the TT-related offences took place, the dishonesty had only occurred when Kelly had realised the accommodation was not available and had ceased contact with the two men rather than it being dishonest from the outset.

The prosecution agreed that Kelly would be sentenced on that basis.

Bail with conditions that Kelly live at her home address and contact probation.