Talmine embezzler sobs in dock
AN employee who embezzled £9000 from a North West Sutherland sporting estate sobbed in the dock as she was given a Community Payback Order at Dornoch Sheriff Court.
Geraldine Allen, 4 Cornhill Road, Talmine, took money from Ben Loyal Estate, Tongue, during a six-month period from 25 September 2010 to 20th April 2011.
The 40-year-old admitted the offence at a previous court, when sentence was deferred for social work reports.
Allen had been taken on by the estate as a housekeeper in June 2010 but was soon given additional duties, effectively becoming the estate manager, procurator fiscal Roderick Urquhart said.
"She was given access to the estate credit card and had on-line banking facilities with the Royal Bank of Scotland and was working unsupervised. The estate is owned by a father and son who live in Denmark," he said.
Allen's embezzlement was uncovered after she left the post and was replaced by a manager who had previously worked at Ben Loyal Estate.
"She was contacted by the new manager to explain a payment and provide an invoice to support it," said the fiscal.
"Eventually on 8th May, 2011, she sent an e-mail to the estate manager confirming that the payment was for an unauthorised purchase. Thereafter a full investigation was carried out."
Defence agent Neil Wilson said family and friends had rallied round to support Allen, who had now paid all the money back.
He said his client had previously worked as a waitress and bar tender. She had been taken on by the estate as a housekeeper but had been given rather more responsibility than she had sought.
"She was in financial difficulties. Her husband is self-employed and his income had reduced but their outgoings remained the same," he said.
Allen began embezzling from the estate when she went to pay for a small personal purchase and realised she did not have enough funds in her account and used the estate credit card instead.
"It started, as these things do, with a self-justified loan which she intended to pay back, but thereafter she realised she could not repay the money. She carried on in the same vein, making up the shortfall in her domestic income," said Mr Wilson.
The lawyer pointed out that his client was a first offender who had never sought to hide her guilt. She was extremely remorseful and thoroughly ashamed.
"She has some underlying difficulties that she has taken steps to address," he said.
Passing sentence, Sheriff David Sutherland said he took into account Allen's early plea, her contrition and the fact that she had repaid the money in full.
As part of the Community Payback Order, the sheriff told Allen she would be supervised for two years and had to follow the advice of social workers and a medical adviser. She was also ordered to undertake 200 hours unpaid work in the community.
