Moray woman who faked robbery is sentenced
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A gambling addiction led a credit company employee to fabricate a robbery to cover up her embezzlement of funds.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard today that Karen Main of Keith Road, Burghead, had owed a lot of money and began to fraudulently issue loans.
In total she embezzled £23,000 of company funds.
But her defence solicitor Grant Daglish persuaded Sheriff Margaret Neilson not to jail his client.
He said: "Although she asked customers to take out the loans, they were aware they were for her and she was paying them.
"This is a lady who got herself in a bit of a mess and panicked.
"She would like to attempt to repay it, but with her financial situation, it is not feasible.
"She has lost everything, friends and family and is working with agencies for her addiction."
Sheriff Neilson ordered Main to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.
In addition, he placed her under a home curfew between 7pm and 7am for the next six months.
Main will also be under social work supervision for a year.
The 49-year-old, who had worked for Provident UK for 20 years, admitted embezzling monies and wasting police time.
Sentence was deferred previously for a background report.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said: "None of the customers are out of pocket, only Provident UK."
The prosecutor also described the faked robbery during which Main claimed to have had £1985 stolen.
He told how Main was to be visited by her line manager on December 27.
On that day she was supposed to bank the cash 'float' she was allowed to hold at home.
However Main claimed an intruder had entered her house after she left the door open for her supervisor while she went out for cigarettes.
Mr Weir said: "She claimed she saw a man in her hallway, brandishing a pole and demanding money."
He added that she threw some cash and coins at the 'robber', and was then knocked unconscious by him.
A neighbour found her with a head injury and she was taken to hospital.
Mr Weir added: "An extensive police enquiry was instigated with house-to-house enquiries, checking of CCTV footage.
"A significant number of officers were involved and detectives spent many hours with Main.
"She had ample opportunity to come forward and admit her wrong doing."
Main resigned from the company shortly afterwards.
