Angela Hunter started stealing from marine civil engineering company Northern Divers Ltd during lockdown in 2020. The firm, based on Sutton Fields industrial estate in Hull, carries out underwater engineering work using divers.

Hull Crown Court heard that the 38-year-old was responsible for paying workers cash to cover accommodation costs but when the pandemic struck the method of payment changed to bank transfers and Hunter “hijacked the system”, adding her own name to the list.

In total there were over 200 separate transfers to her bank account between 2020 and April 2023, totalling £84,848. However the court heard Hunter, who was convicted of theft by employee at Hull Magistrates in January, has no means to pay any compensation.

The money, which had “all gone”, went towards looking after her children, paying off debts and helping her mother-in-law with bills.

Jazmine Lee, prosecuting, told the court: “The defendant added her own name to the list without authorisation or any necessity and essentially began transferring herself different amounts of money on a regular basis.”

Managing director John Sparrowe became aware when he noticed that a payment had been transferred to her in April 2023. Further investigation revealed a payment in May. When he challenged her she apologised. "He asked her whether it was a mistake, she said no and she said sorry,” Ms Lee said.

However she later complained that Mr Sparrowe “had been rich and only paid her and the other girls a pittance and when she previously asked for a pay rise gave her one of three per cent, £45 a month.”

Mitigating, Rachel Scott said Hunter, of Fairbourne Close, Hull, accepted that she made “not so helpful” comments in her interview with police, adding: “Your honour accepts that comes from a place of embarrassment.” She added: “If she could go back in time she would never have done this; she was under an immense amount of pressure.”

Recorder Alex Menary said Hunter had been in a position of a high degree of trust and responsibility and Mr Sparrowe had spoken of feeling “deep betrayal”.

Hunter had made “unhelpful and unattractive” observations in the police interview and pre sentence report, but was now “full of remorse”.

He said of course the money was “all spent and gone” and in her circumstances it would be pointless to make an order for compensation. Hunter was given a 12 month suspended sentence and ordered to carry out an unpaid work requirement of 150 hours.

Northern Divers: Payroll assistant who 'hijacked system' to pay herself £84,000 complained she was 'paid a pittance'