Royal British Legion members in Oxford reacted angrily last night after a woman was spared prison despite stealing money donated to the Poppy Appeal.

Pregnant Sabrina Burton, who said heroin was the cause of her problems, was sentenced to a 12-month supervision order and a six-month drug rehabilitation order at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

She admitted stealing a Poppy Appeal charity box, trying to steal another, and taking a collecting tin belonging to the Multiple Sclerosis Society last year.

Terry Cox, the chairman of the Headington branch of the Royal British Legion, who was at court to see Burton arrive for her hearing, said: “I think it’s a disgrace. What has she lost? Absolutely nothing.

“The money has never been recovered. We will never know how much was taken, but bear in mind those collections had raised £150 in 2008 and we were set for a record year.”

Fellow RBL member Chris Mapplethorpe said: “She has been given a second chance. The soldiers coming back from Afghanistan get no second chances.

“They lose arms and legs and the Legion’s money goes to help those people who are stricken by the war.”

Burton, of Fettiplace Road, Barton, admitted stealing a Poppy Appeal tin from the Londis shop in London Road, Headington, and an MS Society one from Frog Orange, in nearby Windmill Road, on November 6.

The 25-year-old mother-of-one also admitted the attempted theft of another RBL collection tin from Brambles, in London Road, Headington, on November 9.

The money from the thefts was never recovered by police.

Cathy Olliver, prosecuting, said: “In a police interview, she said heroin was at the root of her problems.

“She needed the money to buy things for her baby, because the other money had been spent on drugs.”

Henry James, defending, said: “I cannot mitigate the facts of the offences. These were nasty and deceitful offences and she doesn’t seek to minimise her role.

“On top of the shame, there has been the publicity and she bears that heavily.

“She has been driven into this deceitful world and she’s having trouble escaping it.”

Judge Julian Hall said that he had taken into account Burton’s previous clean record and added: “It’s the sort of case where everyone has a sense of outrage that you should do this – ‘how could anyone do something as mean as this?’ – but I have to keep some sense of proportion.

“The monies taken were obviously fairly given for good causes, but they cannot have been huge amounts.

“ I will give you a chance to put your life back in order. Your baby deserves it, if nothing else.”

He added: “It will do your baby the power of good if you keep off the drugs.”