A woman who stole more than £40,000 from her husband's bank account to feed her drug addiction has had her sentence halved after he forgave her.

Rachel Foy, of Norfolk Mews, Brighton, used husband Martin's bank card to withdraw money and hid his statements to conceal her thefts.

She was jailed for 12 months at St Albans Crown Court in January after she admitted theft and using a false instrument.

Yesterday the Appeal Court in London cut the sentence to six months.

The court heard Mr Foy had forgiven his wife and asked for "justice to be tempered with mercy".

Foy, 36, began using amphetamines and later cocaine after suffering bouts of depression, the court heard.

Lord Justice Rix said Foy initially took cash from the couple's joint account to fund her addiction.

Her spending came to light when mortgage payments fell behind.

Mr Foy forgave his wife, continuing to trust her with the family finances and even allowing her to use his bank card.

She then took money from his personal account by using his card or presenting cheques to the bank and hid his statements to conceal her behaviour.

The appeal judge said: "These offences came to light when bailiffs came to the house demanding arrears of council tax."

The couple were together for 14 years but are now separated and Foy moved to Brighton with her son.

Lord Justice Rix, sitting with Mr Justice Treacy and Judge James Paget, said Mr Foy had urged the trial judge to be lenient but there had been no option but to pass a prison term.

Foy appealed against the sentence on the grounds insufficient credit was given for her guilty plea and her husband's views.

The court took 366 other offences into consideration. The total amount involved was £41,000.

Lord Justice Rix said Mr Foy might not have been the only victim of his wife's crimes, since his bank had to cope with an account heavily in overdraft. But he concluded a "lesser sentence" could be imposed in view of her previous good character and sympathy shown by her husband.