A BANK clerk who embezzled thousands of pounds from a Fife after-school club has been jailed for six months.
Margaret Harms (48) had been found guilty of embezzling a figure in the region of £14,500 from the East Neuk Kids After-School Club in Anstruther.
Harms, who now stays in Scunthorpe, had been working as a teller at the branch of Lloyds TSB in Anstruther when she took money from the club’s accounts between October 2008 and January 2010.
During a trial at Cupar Sheriff Court, the Crown claimed that as much as £24,000 had been taken.
However, because of Harms’ failure to keep proper accounts, the actual amount remains unknown, although she was found guilty based on a sum of less than £14,500.
Sentencing her to six months in prison on Thursday, Sheriff Charles Macnair said: “I do not know how much you embezzled and the reason is partly as a result of your failure to keep proper accounts.
“Having regard to the offence and the breach of trust which was involved, I have concluded that there is no appropriate alternative disposal but a custodial sentence.
“That will have a devastating effect on somebody like yourself. However, it is necessary to demonstrate the public disapproval of this appalling breach of trust.”
The court heard Harms had repeatedly taken money from the club’s accounts during her time as honorary treasurer.
Staff first became suspicious of irregularities when they started to receive letters from HMRC over unpaid tax.
The court heard Harms had been experiencing difficulties at the time of the offence.
Katrina Clark, defending, said: “She maintains her position that she is not guilty but accepts that she has been convicted of an offence of a very serious nature.
“At the time of the offence she was struggling to cope with a full-time job, care for her dying mother and run a household.”
During sentencing, Sheriff Macnair added: “I was entirely satisfied that in addition to some legitimate expenditure, there was a lot of illegitimate expenditure on yourself.”
Nobody at the East Neuk Kids After-School Club could be contacted to comment on the sentence.