Kirkby woman’s £26K fraud risked bankrupting wedding venue

A Kirkby woman who blamed “incompetent” workmates for a £26,000 fraud which risked bankrupting the business was pressurised by her boyfriend into raising cash, a court has heard.
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Laura Jones persuaded more than 30 customers of Oakham Suite, a Mansfield wedding and events venue, to pay deposits directly into her bank account.

Prosecutor Stuart Pattinson described how the 23-year-old sales and marketing executive altered spreadsheets and used a fake email address to carry out the fraud from April 2018.

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But the deception was uncovered when a new manager investigated why the business wasn’t profitable when it was so busy.

Oakham Suite, on Nottingham Road, MansfieldOakham Suite, on Nottingham Road, Mansfield
Oakham Suite, on Nottingham Road, Mansfield

She “made disparaging comments” to police about her colleagues and “suggested that she had been framed,” Mr Pattinson said.

“A couple of weeks later she came clean and admitted what she had been doing.”

The manager of Oakham Suite Ltd said the firm’s profits were down by £41,000 and they had to borrow money to pay wages.

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“Laura Jones put many people’s jobs, and this business, at risk,” she said in a statement.

“Every day is a battle. We have had to close the doors because of Covid 19. As it stands we can’t keep our staff on. We are wondering if we can survive at all.

“If she could pay it back in one sum it would save us from going under.”

Katrina Wilson, mitigating, said Jones, who had no previous convictions, showed “genuine remorse,” her comments to police were “made out of panic,” and she has repaid £6,000.

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She said Jones had been under the “toxic influence” of a boyfriend who didn’t ask her to commit the offences, but requested money from her “in order to live a certain lifestyle.”

He took a £1,500 inheritance from Jones and bought an expensive watch on finance which her father was left to pay off. When Jones was sacked, he ended the three-year relationship and she was plunged into depression.

Jones, of Oxford Street, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, at Nottingham Crown Court, on March 6.

On Tuesday, Judge Steven Coupland sentenced her to 16 months, suspended for 12 months, with 150 hours of unpaid work. She must repay the outstanding £20,367 at £400 per month.

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