Workington bookkeeper stole £90k from her boyfriend boss

Susan Adams admitted theft and fraud

A gambling addict stole almost £90,000 from her businessman boyfriend to fund her online gaming habit.

Susan Adams, 52, worked as a bookkeeper for Robert Scott's two businesses - one specialising in joinery and kitchen fitting, the other in home renovations.

The couple began a relationship in 2017 but the following year he was alerted to thousands of pounds missing from an account, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

She admitted theft and fraud and was given a 20-month suspended sentence.

'Gambling problem'

The court heard Adams' role was to look after accounts which, by his own admission, Mr Scott did not pay much attention to.

She was trusted with the payment of bills and suppliers, and ensure quarterly statements while her only permission was to withdraw her agreed wages.

In May 2018, Mr Scott was alerted by his building society to funds in an account being down to £400 when he knew there should have been thousands in it, prosecutor Gerard Rogerson said.

When he confronted her she admitted stealing the money and told him she "had a problem with gambling," Mr Rogerson said.

The regular withdrawals totalled £88,719.86 and attempts were made to disguise the thefts by wrongly referencing some of Mr Scott's suppliers.

Adams had also taken out a credit card in her partner's name and made a number of unauthorised payments for that from company coffers, the court heard.

Adams, who admitted having debts of £30,000 which she had hidden from Mr Scott, spent most of the stolen money on online gambling, the court heard.

'Not bet for years'

In an impact statement, Mr Scott said Adams, of Gray Street in Workington, had raided his pension pot, meaning he had to keep working six or seven days a week during the past four years.

He accepted that she had a gambling addiction but believed it was important for Adams to be "taught a lesson".

The businessman said prison would not be fair on the defendant's teenage daughter, for whom she was a sole carer.

Adams' lawyer, Sean Harkin, said his client had sought help with her addition and had "not had a bet for a number of years".

She was also made subject of a three-month, night-time curfew.