A former trainee PricewaterhouseCoopers tax consultant has been jailed for six months for stealing more than £34,000 from her employers.

Yinka Saunders, a 24-year-old law graduate from Southampton University, committed the fraud by entering false taxi and train expense claims over 10 months, in order to pay off a £40,000 credit card debt.

The debt, however, had been run up by Saunders' partner, an older man whom her parents warned her against, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Saunders, who began working for the No.1 UK firm in August 2004, started stealing in December 2006 despite an income of £29,500.

She was caught out during a routine audit.

In court, Saunders was described as 'tearful and contrite'.