An accountant lost her own money on a gambling site then stole £24,000 from her work. Emma King, 41, took advantage of working from home during the Covid pandemic to steal thousands from Sherborne Wharf Ltd, a Birmingham boat trip and party hire company.
King worked for the company for over 10 years, and admitted theft by employee between April 2020 and February 28, 2021. At the time of the thefts the defendant was responsible for accounts and invoicing, Catherine Ravenscroft, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court.
“The fact she was working from home during Covid, she had access to transfer money into her personal account,” Ms Ravenscroft said. “Transactions were hidden behind references attempting to make them look ordinary business credits but in fact it was transferred to her own account.
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“Until February 2021 the attempt to hide the transactions was successful. But the company was contacted by the bank advising them of money going into the account.
“Analysis showed transactions started in small amounts but quickly grew. The highest total was £4,000 transferred in one month in October 2020. Sometimes one or more transactions were made on a daily basis.
“The defendant had been working there for over 10 years so had gained that level of trust and used the Covid pandemic to access bank accounts to breach that trust.”
Simon Hanns, defending, said King has lost her good character. He said: “There was clearly some planning. In desperation she turned to gambling, she lost her own money and foolishly because of an apparent addiction she turned to stealing from her employer.”
Judge John Edwards handed King, of Farley Street, Tipton, a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. She was also made subject of an alcohol treatment requirement for six months and ordered to complete 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and given a curfew between 8pm and 7am for four months.
King was ordered to pay £24,000 in compensation and £425 in costs. Judge Edwards said: “What you did has caused [the business owner] high stress, depression and despair, trying to keep that business afloat literally and metaphorically.”
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