Woman sentenced over £12,000 fake scratchcard 'wins'

Emma Grimes paid herself £12,370 in fake scratchcard winnings while on shift at a petrol station

A woman who stole more than £12,000 by cashing in fake scratchcards must pay more than £2,000 in compensation.

Emma Grimes, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, was given a 17-month sentence, suspended for 21 months, after admitting theft.

The 41-year-old was a site manager at Applegreen filling station in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

Police said she paid herself £12,370 in fake scratchcard winnings while on shift between August 2019 and October 2020.

Applegreen's regional manager investigated financial discrepancies at the station.

Grimes initially denied any wrongdoing and claimed it must have been another employee, said police.

They added that evidence showed payouts were only made when she was on shift and using her till login details.

She was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday.

Grimes must complete 20 days' rehabilitation activity requirement, 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay £2,400 compensation.

Det Con Lucy Holderness said: “It’s clear that over time Grimes became more brazen about stealing from her employer.

“While scratchcards may be a lottery, altering the books and staging wins for yourself will ultimately land you in front of a judge.”