The accountant of illusionist Derren Brown spotted what his client didn't foresee when he noticed the TV star's former cleaner had emptied his bank account of £33,000 after stealing blank cheques from his home.

Ex-teacher Rocio Pavon-Navarrete, 47, was jailed for 16 months after she admitted stealing two signed cheques from the entertainer's home while he was away on his 2010 Enigma tour.

She pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court last month to one charge of theft.The court heard that cheques were signed by Brown's manager and left blank at his Westminster home for use by his assistant while the conjurer was away on business.

Ecaudorian mother of three, Pavon-Navarrete, of Greenwich, took the cheques when her two businesses began to struggle.

She then passed them to her 48-year-old friend Bernard Ayanbanjo, who paid them into his own account.

Pavon-Navarrete was dismissed by the illusionist in June 2010 but was oblivious that any money was missing until his accountant spotted a number of unusual transactions six months later.

The court heard she had one previous conviction for shoplifting in 2004.

Pavon-Navarrate showed no emotion as she was led down to the cells. So far just £950 of the stolen money has been recovered by police.

Ayanbanjo, of Woolwich, south-east London, took the cheques, worth £21,550.35 and £11,500, and paid them into his own bank account between October and December 2010.

He was found guilty of fraud last month and is due to be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 19 October.