AN ELTEC employee pocketed almost £23,000 in a fraud which involved cheques the tune of almost £120,000.

Wendy Sutton, 38, then a claims co-ordinator in the finance department of the government-funded business, siphoned cash from her bosses for over two years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Sutton altered payee details on cheques and gave orders to firms ELTEC would not normally deal with for "perks". The married mother-of-two made out a cheque for £35,000 when she became "infatuated" with a businessman who told her his company and his business was struggling.

Sutton, of Garden Village, Darwen, who had no previous convictions, was sent to prison for 12 months, after admitting two counts of procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception, namely two ELTEC cheques, together for £51,000, by falsely representing who the payees were intended to be. She asked for seven offences to be considered.

Sentencing her, Recorder Robert Marks, said her case was "sad indeed." She had breached her employer's trust. References he had read spoke of her good qualities and she had had to face difficulties in life.

The judge added "regrettably" he had no alternative but to send her to custody immediately. Michael Lavery, prosecuting, said Sutton benefited by £22,925. Sutton, among her various duties, had to process payment claims and buy supplies. ELTEC was alerted when a £5,000 cheque was made out to a company it had never heard of and investigations began. Sutton admitted she would write a cheque in soft-leaded pencil, get the relevant signature and then rub out and change payee details.

After she was bailed, a cheque for £16,024 went into a building society account after Sutton substituted her own name.

The £35,000 had been repaid to ELTEC, but the £22,925 was outstanding. The total value of cheques obtained dishonestly was £120,000.

Anthony Cross, defending, said the fraud had been going on for a couple of years - before she met the businessman - but it was different in its infancy than its later stages. It started out as a "fraud for perks" when Sutton would place an unauthorised order in return for high street vouchers or ferry tickets. She started taking money when she had an excess when suppliers were paid. Sutton started to take money in a significant way when she met the businessman. She was infatuated by him and she was taken in by him until she realised he was "preaching falsehoods."

Sutton had been in an emotional state when she met him. Her family had been "doubly disgraced," by what she had done and the effect on her parents had been horrific.

Mr Cross said Sutton had raised £14,000 to repay ELTEC, had a new job and was entirely trusted by her new employers.

He went on: "She is prepared for a term of imprisonment. If she has to go to jail, I ask the court to pass such a sentence as would cause as little devastation to her and her family as is possible."

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