Sunderland senior cashier jailed for stealing over £100,000 from employer

A cashier who stole more than £138,000 from her employer has been jailed.

Emma Adamson plundered the sum while in a senior and trusted position with a firm called USL Sealant Group.

She began working there in March 2015 and within a year she had begun regularly stealing, a court heard.

Emma Dowling, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "By virtue of her trusted position, she had access to all company bank accounts and was able to transfer money to her own bank account.

"Over five years, she regularly transferred money to her account and her husband's account and her daughter's account."

Her family had no idea what she was up to, the court heard.

As well as being responsible for making sure "nothing untoward" went on with the company bank accounts, Adamson was also trusted to train a junior member of staff.

But she duped the trainee into unwittingly helping her steal by sanctioning some of the transfers.

The court heard Adamson began by stealing relatively modest amounts but when it went undetected, the sums increased.

The maximum she took in one go was £3,586. In total she stole £138,112. She has so far paid back £8,000 and faces future Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings.

A business impact statement said the company had moved its accounting department to India a year earlier than planned as a result of Adamson's actions, resulting in three redundancies.

Staff also did not get their bonuses and the trainee suffered "a significant amount of disruption".

Adamson, 44, of Baltimore Avenue, Town End Farm, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to theft and was jailed for 20 months.

Judge Edward Bindloss said it was a "sophisticated fraud" and said she had used a company account that was still live but no longer used to siphon money to herself.

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said: "She is utterly sorry for what she did. She's completely and utterly ashamed for the loss she brought to her company and the humiliation she has caused for herself and her family. They are hard working, decent people and it's been a shock."

Mr Adams said Adamson has a number of health issues including OCD, fibromyalgia and depression and added: "She started distancing herself by stealing small amounts. It was not done for any luxurious lifestyle.

"She always dreaded the moment she would be found out but she didn't try to lie about it. She was relieved at being found out.

"It was not done deliberately in spite or greed, it was because of her decrepitude, mentally and physically."

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