A trusted ex-manager at an estate agent has escaped jail after stealing over £34,000 of tenants’ deposits.
Karen Blakey, 52, of Scunthorpe, pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud and three of false accountancy between 2012 and 2015.
She was employed for 16 years by Grice & Hunter in its Scunthorpe branch.
Prosecuting, Richard Davies told Grimsby Crown Court that Blakey had taken deposits from tenants but not declared these to her bosses.
Grice & Hunter had no record of the properties being rented out, and the deposits had not been lodged with a deposit protection scheme.
Mr Davies said that when the offences came to light in 2015, an audit showed some 20 properties were in a “similar situation”.
He said that Blakey fraudulently obtained £34,611.
In mitigation Jayne Bryan said Blakey had faced difficulties in her private life – she was separated, leaving her in debt.
She said Blakey’s son had become violent towards her, and demanding money.
Recorder Jamie Hill QC told Blakey she had “betrayed the trust of the company you worked for”.
He handed her a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to repay the £34,611 and do 200 hours of unpaid work.
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/former-office-manager-estate-agent-1835453
Comments (4)
How is it that any manager can take their eye off the ball and not notice?
Being a single female parent helps when it comes to leniency.
How is it that if you’re RICS and relative put the money back for you its possible to pay a smaller fine to RICS than a chap who hadn’t done his CPD?
It seems to have been deleted from the archive but one RICS firm had it away with a huge wad of client cash to support another part of the business, in breach of rule 8. The agent’s relis put the cash back and other than a minor slap on the wrist nothing more was done.
Nothing worse than double standards!
So, how is it all these scallys ‘escape jail’?