A fun-loving thief stole more than £5,000 from her landlord to blow on a Caribbean holiday before claiming she had been given the money for an arranged marriage.

Carys Owens, 22, was living in the victim's house in Torpoint, Cornwall, with her boyfriend when she discovered large bags of cash in the kitchen, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

She told the court she was given the money as part of an arrangement to marry her victim's Iraqi cousin.

Carys Owens stole more than £5,000 from her landlord to blow on a Caribbean holiday before claiming she had been given the money for an arranged marriage

But a court heard she had no intention of going through with the deal - and spent the money on drinks for her friends and a holiday to Antigua - posting pictures on Facebook of her exploits.

When friends confronted her she 'laughed off' their concerns - and only returned home when she was deported for stealing a mobile phone from a fellow holidaymaker.

Owens pleaded guilty to theft on March 13, 2013, at Plymouth Crown Court and received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

Recorder Richard Onslow said: 'From the moment you took hold of the money you decided to use it entirely as your own.

'You bought your friends drinks and blew the money within a few days on an expensive holiday in Antigua, which you advertised on Facebook.

'You tried to laugh off the fact that you had that money and you failed to return.'

Owens, 22, was living in the victim's house with her boyfriend when she discovered large bags of cash in the kitchen, a court heard. She said she was given the cash to marry her victim's Iraqi cousin

Owens (pictured on the holiday) pleaded guilty to theft which took place on March 13, 2013, at Plymouth Crown Court and received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months

Owens, who documented her fun filled trip on Facebook, admitted that she stole £5,200 and never intended to go through with the sham marriage

A court heard she pent the money on drinks for her friends and the holiday to Antigua - posting pictures on Facebook of her exploits

The court heard how Owens was living in the victim's house in Torpoint, Cornwall, with her boyfriend when the offence occurred.

Sally Daulton, prosecuting, said the businessman kept large carrier bags full of money behind a big container of olive oil in the kitchen.

After Owens made a meal at the house one evening her friends noticed she had a large amount of money.

She claimed the cash had been given to her by her boyfriend and bought drinks for all her friends on a night out.

Owens then caught a bus to London and hopped on a plane to Antigua. The victim only realised the money was missing several weeks later, it was said.

The court heard she had no intention of going through with the arranged marriage- and spent the money on drinks for her friends and a holiday to Antigua (file picture) - posting pictures on Facebook of her exploits

One of her friends challenged her on the phone that she had taken the money - but Owens laughed it off.

Police eventually spoke to her when she returned to Britain in September 2013 - but she then evaded justice by returning to Antigua and then moving to Croydon, south London.

In a statement, the victim - who denied giving the money as part of an arranged marriage plot - told the court: 'I feel I have worked all year for nothing.'

Michael Green, mitigating, said Owens insists the victim paid her the cash as part of £11,000 to marry his Iraqi cousin.

The deal was to evade immigration controls but she never intended to go through with the scheme, he claimed.

Owens is now working as the manager of a coffee shop in Tooting, south London, and was informally caring for a friend's 14-year-old son, the court was told.