Woman stole to start new life in Thailand

Elizabeth Greenwood was unable to raise the cash for her trip to the Far East and resorted to "ransacking" Michael Weedon's savings account on her last day working at Scarborough Building Society in 2007.

But after she and her boyfriend Paul Hart travelled across two continents, the money ran out, and they were arrested at Stansted Airport last month when they returned home to "face the music", York Crown Court heard. He was also jailed for a year.

Prosecutor Michelle Stuart-Lofthouse said that Greenwood resigned from her job in May 2007 after Hart had gone to live in Thailand.

Hart wanted to open a bar but did not have the funds, and Greenwood could not afford to join him, so the pair spoke on the phone and concocted a plan to steal the money that they needed to finance the new venture.

Ms Stuart-Lofthouse said: "The pair quickly devised a plan over a couple of heart-rending phone calls. She wanted to be with him and they planned the money transfer.

"She simply swapped a sort code, transferred the money from Mr Weedon's account to Mr Hart's and changed the sort code back.

"She then destroyed any evidence to show the transfer had been undertaken, then joined Mr Hart and they travelled around the world.

"Their dream had become reality. The decision to take the money was a joint one."

Greenwood, of West Ayton, near Scarborough, was employed by the building society as an administrator and had access to customer accounts.

The court heard that the fraud was only discovered in April 2008, when Mr Weedon's annual statement showed that his savings had fallen from 57,000 to 2,000.

Mr Weedon was "horrified" by the discovery, but was fully reimbursed when the building society realised what had happened.

Hart, 31, and Greenwood, 26, had used the money to travel across Asia and Australia for two years. They were penniless when they returned to the UK, the court heard.

The couple, who have remained together, were both jailed for a year and could face confiscation proceedings.

At an earlier hearing, Hart had pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property to a value of 55,000 while Greenwood had admitted fraud.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told Greenwood: "This customer had very considerable savings with Scarborough Building Society.

"Unbeknown to him you decided to steal 55,000 and divert it to Paul Hart.

"You were on your last day working at the building society. You must have identified an account worth ransacking.

"You intercepted the letter showing the withdrawal and it was not for some time that Mr Weedon discovered, to his horror, money was missing."

The judge added: "It seems that all the money has gone. While I recognise you must be given credit for your co-operation with the authorities upon your return both of you only decided to come back when the money had gone.

"Both of you remain loyal to each other, not wanting to cast blame on each other, but this was for both of your benefit."

Greenwood wept throughout the sentencing hearing. Her barrister Stephen Grattage told the court that at the time of the fraud she was depressed, drinking heavily and recently bereaved.

"She knows this is a breach of trust from a bank employee," Mr Grattage said. "She comes from a well-respected family and they are in court today to support her."

Mr Grattage added that the pair had returned to the UK to "face the music and face up to what they have done".

Victoria Lancaster, defending Hart, who was smartly dressed, said that he "loved his partner very much" and shared the blame for the fraud.

He had lost a significant amount of cash when he was conned by a bogus businessman in Thailand, Ms Lancaster added.

A hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act is due to take place later this year to try to claw back money from the two defendants.