Cashier embezzled to fund gambling

The Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how a Nationwide Building Society cashier, employed by the bank for 18 years, embezzled GBP 300 000 from 49 client accounts to fund a gambling addiction.

Elaine Barrett (52) was jailed for a 15 months for fraud that took place between January 2008 and January 2010 after she was caught transferring a GBP 9229 hand-written cheque from a closed account to a fictitious account.

Procurator fiscal depute Ruth Ross-Davie said: “She was able to get away with this because she had set up the transaction when a customer would approach with a view to closing their account and transfer money in to a longer term savings account. The customer would then not be inclined to check that account very regularly.”

The court was told Barrett’s gambling began following the death of her father.

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