A Dundee scaffolding company was almost driven to the wall after its accounts manager embezzled almost £30,000 from them, the firm’s managing director has told The Courier.
Steve Reilly, of IAS Dundee Ltd, said the jobs of around 50 staff were put at risk by the actions of Karen Cromar who, he added, had “totally breached our trust.”
Cromar, 40, of St Martin Avenue, admitted that, between July 13 2011 and July 23 2012, at IAS Dundee Ltd, Tom Johnstone Road and Lloyds TSB, Meadowside, while employed as office/accounts manager, she embezzled £28,347.41.
She had originally been charged with embezzling £54,903.41. However, that figure was reduced at court on Friday after a lengthy period of plea bargaining between the Crown and her solicitor, Gary McIlravey.
Cromar now faces a jail sentence after the case was adjourned until next Thursday for a written narration to be prepared by the Crown.
After the case, Mr Reilly told The Courier that the entire future of his firm had been put at risk by her dishonesty.
He said: “She is a horrible woman nearly 50 people were having to take wage cuts, take fewer holiday time and work unpaid overtime just to keep the company going.
“These are young scaffolders with young families and it was really hard to keep them in work through this.
“It was at the height of the recession and everybody was struggling. Many of the construction companies in Dundee went bust and over 600 construction firms in Scotland closed.
“It was hard enough to exist without her taking money from us.
“We lost customers through this as well. The worst thing was us chasing some customers for money and they told us they had already paid us.
“It caused a lot of stress to a lot of people, including myself and my family. I also had to put a lot of my own personal money into the company to keep it afloat.
“It was a real struggle and thankfully we got through it, but it was a terrible time.
“I’m glad she’s finally admitted this.”
Cromar will be sentenced on Thursday, October 2, and her bail order was continued.