Husband and wife from Withern sentenced for £95,000 fraud
A husband and wife have been sentenced for fraud totalling more than £95,000.
Husband and wife, Matthew, 55 and Debra Payne, 52, of Chalk Lane, Withern, Alford, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation against their Grimsby-based ex-employer.
They were sentenced on Friday, June 21, with Matthew receiving a 26-month custodial sentence, while Debra received a 22-month suspended sentence.
A separate hearing is to be held at a later date to consider the potential recovery and/or confiscation of assets gained from their criminality under The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).
Lincoln Crown Court heard how over the course of several years, the couple had skimmed notable sums of money from corporate accounts, which they had been entrusted to manage as part of their managerial and accounting roles, overpaying themselves more than £95,000.
The discovery was made after the pair left the company to set up their own business, when the victim accessed their laptops and delved deeper into the accounts.
The victim raised concerns to the police in March of 2020. A thorough financial investigation followed by Lincolnshire’s Criminal Investigation Department, which uncovered the full extent of their deceit.
DC Garbutt, who led the investigation, said: “This was a lengthy investigation, but has resulted in justice for the victim, demonstrating Lincolnshire Police’s commitment to tackling fraud within our county.”