An Ormskirk woman who defrauded her employer of more than £50,000 by spending company money on holidays, shopping, and personal bills has been jailed.
Donna Pope used a company credit card to fund a range of personal purchases, including trips abroad, car insurance payments, phone bills, Amazon orders, and sessions with a personal trainer.
Preston Crown Court heard how Pope, 47, of Liverpool Road, Ormskirk, abused her position of trust while working for a company in the town.
On one occasion, she used the company card to buy a legitimate work-related item from B&Q before also purchasing radiators for her own home using the same card.
Her offending came to light after suspicious transactions began appearing on company bank statements.
At one stage, her employer questioned her about payments made to fashion retailers Zara and Shein.
Pope also used company funds to pay for a personal trainer.
Police said she openly remarked in the office that her "fitness lady" had not taken any money from her personal account.
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During her final year with the business, Pope travelled to Amsterdam and Malaga, with both trips paid for using the company card.
When challenged, she claimed she had not checked her personal accounts and was unaware the money had not come from her own funds.
After being confronted about the irregular spending, Pope went off sick before later leaving the company.
Her employer subsequently reported the matter to police.
Pope pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to three years and two months in prison at Preston Crown Court.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, her former employer described the devastating impact the fraud had on both the business and his family.
He said: "When I first began to suspect irregularities, Donna repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
"She gave excuses, including claiming she had accidentally connected her personal PayPal account to the business and that she would ‘sort it out’.
"These explanations were lies.
"She continued to deny the fraud for many months and left the company, citing she was offered another job that offered more flexibility."
Describing the consequences of the offending, he added: "Her actions have devastated my business, my finances, and my family’s sense of security.
"The emotional impact is ongoing.
"We are still dealing with the consequences every day, and the road to recovery, financially, physically, and emotionally, remains uncertain."
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said Pope had exploited the trust placed in her by her employer for her own financial gain.
Anyone who suspects fraud is being committed is urged to report it to police by calling 101 or through Lancashire Police's online reporting channels.
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