"This was large amounts going missing very quickly"
Mandeep Kaur, aged 34, of Sutton Coldfield, was jailed for 18 months after she stole over £100,000 from her employer. The shop worker then spent the money on expensive cars and hotels.
Derby Crown Court heard that the university graduate worked at shops in Erdington and Derbyshire.
She would tell bosses she would “personally” take the money to the bank. But instead, she kept it for herself.
Prosecutor Richardo Childs said Kaur began working at the former Evening Telegraph store in Swadlincote in January 2019 and quickly started stealing money from it.
She did the same from a now-closed brand of Supernews in Erdington, which was owned by the same family-run company.
On February 25, 2019, the financial director noticed that cash was missing which should have been banked and an investigation began.
Mr Childs explained: “In total £91,140 was missing from Swadlincote and £13,160 from Erdington.
“This was large amounts going missing very quickly including £8,000 on January 18; £10,000 on January 19 and £11,600 on February 11.
“In a meeting, she said she would personally drop the money off at the bank and when asked if she thought money had been taken, she said she did not think so.”
Kaur was suspended from work in March 2019 and arrested in June when police became involved.
Mr Childs continued: “There was evidence of the purchase of motor vehicles – a Volkswagen Golf worth £26,990 on February 14; a second Golf worth £32,990 and a Mercedes worth £16,790.
“In (police) interview she admitted the offence saying she had kept the money instead of banking it.”
The shop worker also spent the money on hotels, taxis to and from work and hire cars.
In a business impact statement by the firm, the financial director said that the Swadlincote shop had to be closed down with jobs lost which had “an emotional impact on them and their families”.
Kaur pleaded guilty to theft by abuse of position.
The court heard that she has the exact conviction which postdates these offences and took place when she took cash from another shop where she worked while under investigation for these ones.
In mitigation, Panama Begum said her client had a strict Sikh upbringing and ran the family fish and chip shop after university when her father died.
The business was shut down due to hygiene offences.
Miss Begum said Kaur carried out the offences after being pressured by her cocaine-using and gambling partner who she has since split up with, which the judge accepted.
Miss Begum said Kaur had been in an abusive relationship with a non-Sikh man who her mother did not approve of.
She said: “There were a number of domestic incidents including one where she fell out of a moving vehicle, the police came out to see her but she was scared to make a statement.
“She is extremely ashamed of what she’s done and she cannot apologise enough for her actions and the effect that has had on the families that have been affected.”
Recorder Charles Thomas told Kaur:
“The act of stealing £104,000 from your employer and the impact that has had means the only appropriate punishment is immediate custody.
“Effectively you were trusted to bank the takings and instead of banking the money you kept it for yourself.
“What is clear is that they trusted you and you abused that position of trust.”
Kaur was jailed for 18 months.
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