Bank manager Patricia Keezer was sentenced to spend 12 months and one day behind bars after stealing $340,000 from rich customers and transferring the funds into bank accounts belonging to poorer clients.

She told the judge: “I would take other people’s problems and make them my problems. I do have a problem with giving things away.”

The 53-year-old woman – who has no family – apologised profusely in court and even told the judge she would accept the death penalty for her crimes.