Bail for former credit union manager

Beverley Johnson – who told magistrates she had changed her surname from Farmer, the name under which she was charged – has been accused of fraud by abuse of position and a string of thefts allegedly carried out while she was employed at Leeds City Credit Union, which has 27,000 members.

Outlining the detail of the charges against her yesterday, prosecutor Kim Coley said money was taken from members’ accounts, transferred to accounts held by members of Johnson’s family before ultimately being withdrawn as cash by Johnson.

Ms Coley said 19 fraudulent transactions had been identified between April 2006 and June 2009 and that money had also been moved between customer accounts in a bid to hide the losses. Leeds magistrates’ court heard the total alleged benefit to Johnson was £18,500.

The prosecutor said Johnson had denied the offences when interviewed by police following arrest, telling officers she could not say how the funds had ended up in her family members’ accounts.

But Johnson, 50, from Tingley, near Wakefield, was not required to enter a plea yesterday.

Ms Coley said the alleged offences were too serious to be dealt with at a magistrates’ court and the case was adjourned until August 7 for committal to Leeds Crown Court.

She was granted unconditional bail.