A mum of four who pretended to be a police officer so she could burgle a suspected cannabis factory has avoided jail.

Lorraine Kichenside blagged her way into the Home Office-run house in South Norwood, Croydon, after becoming convinced the occupants, who were awaiting decisions on their immigration applications, were cultivating the drug.

When Croydon Crown Court heard the 40-year-old stank of booze when she attempted the scam, Judge Warwick McKinnon commented “drinking on duty, eh?”.

The court heard the Chinese man who let her in quickly became suspicious and asked to see her ID, at which point she claimed somebody else was outside and left the building.

He rang the police and told them he could probably identify her and they soon found Mrs Kichenside two streets away outside her home in St Mary’s Road.

She admitted she had gone into the house in an attempt to get some cannabis but initially denied pretending to be a police officer, despite the Chinese man saying she had claimed to have a search warrant.

But she quickly changed her mind and pleaded guilty to burglary and impersonating a police officer - a decision Judge McKinnon said had spared her a stretch in jail.

She also told police she believed illegal immigrants were living in the house and she was considering turning them in.

Judge McKinnon said: “You impersonated a police officer - clearly you did and admitted you did with your guilty plea.

“It’s a pretty nasty offence this and potentially very frightening for those inside, but you were soon brought to book.

“You had obviously drunk far too much and you plainly have a problem with drink as borne out by some of your previous convictions.

“The thing I think that saves you from an immediate custodial sentence, that could be justified, is the very early guilty plea.”

Mrs Kichenside was sentenced to a 12 month community order for the burglary, which took place on September 15, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge McKinnon also ordered her to be supervised by probation officers for 12 months and to attend alcohol treatment sessions.

He said: “I have made it a community order rather than a suspended sentence order and that’s an indication that if there is a breach I will not be limited to 12 months imprisonment.

“The maximum sentence for burglary is 14 years.”

No separate penalty was handed down for the charge of impersonating a police officer.