An office assistant, who wrecked a respected property company by looting twenty accounts of £346,000 - blowing it all playing Internet bingo - was jailed for four years by a Judge who condemned online gambling.
Despite only earning £18,000 per year 29 year-old Claire Elizabeth Gilbody wagered £430,000 during a seventeen-month spell in which she desperately attempted to cover up her crimes.
"I'd like to get these betting people here so they can see the misery gambling wreaks," announced Croydon Crown Court Judge Heather Baucher. "She was caught up in an awful addiction."
Mum-to-be Gilbody, of Inglethorpe Street, Fulham pleaded guilty to abusing her position with Wandsworth's A. Mansell & Co. to make a gain, namely £346,250.28, between October 14, 2008 and April 3, last year.
She also admitted similarly making a gain, namely £39,385.50, while a mortgage administrator with Hammersmith-based MIL Finance between November 21, 2007 and April 1, last year.
The court heard A. Mansell & Co., a one-woman firm run by Andrea Kilcawley, who hired Gilbody via website 'Gumtree' went into liquidation after the defendant plundered the accounts.
"This person went from one company to another wreaking havoc and misery in her wake," added Judge Baucher. "When she discovered what happened it seems Andrea Kilcawley was in abject panic."
One £50,000 account saved-up by residents of a private block to fund refurbishment's was almost emptied by New Zealand-born Gilbody.
"They will be lucky now if they have enough money to paint the front door," said the Judge. "They must be devastated they have been robbed by a sophisticated fraud."
Prosecutor Mr. David Povall told the court Gilbody was immediately given access to the company's debit card, emails and twenty accounts which held money for various residential management committees.
Gilbody's boss noticed bank statements were suddenly missing and complained to the Royal Mail about her postal service which the defendant was secretly intercepting.
The true horror was only revealed when Gilbody was arrested at the office on April 2, last year by City of London Police's Economic Crime Department for defrauding previous employers MIL Finance.
There she had instructed Legal and General to pay mortgage commissions into her personal Lloyds TSB bank account - even changing the address to a P.O. Box under her control.
Gilbody's lawyer Mr. Thomas Garner told the court all the money was lost on Internet gambling.
"She thought the only way she could repay the money was to continue gambling and there was a rapid escalation in her gambling.
"She was robbing Peter to pay Paul, but the money was coming from other people's accounts."
Since her arrest Gilbody, who is due to give birth to her first child in August, spent five months at a charity-run residential gambling programme, paying just £10 per week for treatment.
"It's an absolutely gross breach of trust," Judge Baucher told Gilbody "It was to A. Mansell and Co.'s detriment that they took you on, took you into their arms.
"Funds were being transferred into your account instead of A. Mansell and Co. and you prepared a colour-coded Excel spreadsheet listing all then names and the figures.
"The fact you were able to place deposits of £430,000 while on an income of £18,000 beggars belief.
"I hope no one ever employs you where you can access accounts. You have sophistication and intelligence and means to perpetrate a fraud and no doubt will do so in the future if given the opportunity."
The prosecution will not pursue compensation.
No comments:
Post a Comment