Sunderland woman who stole £150,000 from employer ordered to pay back just £12,000

A woman who made over £150,000 by stealing from her bosses has been ordered to repay just £12,000.

Emma Adamson used her position as senior cashier at construction firm USL Sealant Group in Sunderland, to help herself to company money for five years.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Adamson started at the firm in 2015 and began stealing 11 months later.

In November last year, the 44-year-old was jailed for 20 months after pleading guilty to theft.

On that occasion, prosecutor Emma Dowling said over the course of five years, Adamson regularly transferred money to her own accounts, or accounts she had access to and had initially started with small sums.

Ms Dowling said: "By virtue of her position she had access to all company bank accounts and was able to transfer money directly from the company account to her own bank account.

"It was £129 to £700 in 2016, for the first few months one transaction a month or so but as the theft went undetected the transactions increased in frequency.

"By 2019 it had settled down to more or less a payment per month but the amounts were significantly higher. The highest single transaction was £3,586."

The court heard by May 2021, Adamson, of Baltimore Avenue, Sunderland, had transferred a total of £138,102.32 into her own accounts, but prosecutors now say she benefited by a total of £151.792.32 through her crime.

She was caught when one transaction was flagged up as suspicious by one of the banks and an investigation was launched.

The court heard due to the loss of money, the company's accounting system was moved to India 12 months earlier than originally planned.

This resulted in three full-time staff members being made redundant sooner than anticipated and employees on target related bonuses did not get their full payments last year.

The case was back before the court today, after the prosecution launched an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Judge Edward Bindloss Adamson ordered to pay back £11,726.75 to her former employers, which was from the remaining equity left on her home.

If she ever comes into a large sum of money in the future, she is liable to repay the full Benefit Figure.

On the earlier occasion, Jamie Adams, defending, said: "She is utterly ashamed of it all, for the loss she brought to the company and also for the humiliation she has brought upon herself."

Mr Adams said Adamson, who was "buying things she didn't need" but was not living a "luxury lifestyle", immediately admitted what she had done when she was confronted and is remorseful for it.