A woman robbed her bosses of £44,000 - to pay for luxury spending including a trip to New York and a stay in the Waldorf Hotel. 

Sharin Mooney carried out a doctored invoice scam under the noses of her managers at a windfarm firm for nearly nine months before her swindle began to unravel. 

The 38-year-old accounts assistant used some of the stolen money to fund a stay at New York's iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel. 

And she posted a picture of herself on Facebook with Manhattan's Times Square in the background. 

The Herald:

Meanwhile on her Twitter account, high-life loving Mooney posted: "Cocktails solve all the problems." 

Mooney - who hasn't paid back a penny of what she stole - bought specialist document-altering software on the internet. 

She used it to change a series of invoices in order for money to pour directly into her personal bank account, Greenock Sheriff Court was told. 

The largest of the payments, for £8,000, was siphoned into her account just before she jetted off to America. 

Prosecutor Pamela Brady said suspicions arose after a staff member noticed a "discrepancy" with a copy invoice and had asked Mooney to help locate the original. 

Mrs Brady said: "A number of weeks went by and the accused did not produce the invoice. She said that she was too busy." 

Bosses at Greenock-based 2020 Renewables launched a probe and uncovered a total of eight transactions of company cash into Mooney's account between April 2 and December 23 2014. 

Mrs Brady said: "The total amounted to some £44,000. 

"The managing director called a meeting with the company solicitor and the accused and the accused admitted that she had stolen the money. 

"She stated that she had financial problems." 

As well as her New York trip, Mooney made an purchase from luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co and paid for numerous other airline flights. 

Mrs Brady said: "There were payments to what appeared to be loan companies but there were also a number of leisure activities, restaurant bills, flight costs and significant spending in New York City." 

Defence lawyer Ellen Macdonald said: "Luxury items were purchased but there were also considerable payments to payday loans - sometimes three or four in one day." 

Ms Macdonald said that Mooney, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, took on "family debt" following the sudden death of her father. 

Sheriff Hamilton warned Mooney she faces a possible jail term when she returns to court for sentencing next month.

At this point, Mooney began weeping in the dock. 

She is due to learn her fate on August 17.