Woman stole £15k from car firm where she worked

Nicola Evans took the money belonging to Pendragon PLC while working in the administration department at Evans Halshaw Ford on Bradford Road.

Evans, 32, had previously admitted the offence and was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence when she appeared at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

The court was told Evans, of Durkar Low Lane, Wakefield, took £15,000 between October 1 2009, and August 3 2010.

Robert Casey, mitigating, said Evans had been ‘bullied’ into it by her boyfriend of the time, who also worked at the company.

Sentencing, Judge James Spencer said: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious crime where over a period of time you stole money from your employer.

“Whether it was for yourself or for your boyfriend makes no difference as it was still a breach of trust.”

Prosecutor Catherine Duffy told the court that Evans had been working at the company since 2008 and was responsible for banking up the firm’s cash and cheques.

She said an investigation was launched after an accountant noticed delays in money being transferred from the company to Securicor for banking.

Mr Casey told the court that Evans had left her husband to start a new life with a mechanic, who convinced her to take the money as he would pay it back.

He said the money went straight to him and Evans did not benefit from the takings.

The court also heard that Evans had found a new job, but was on maternity leave, and her new employers were not aware of the case.