A Fife woman must repay Kingdom Homes after she admitted helping herself to £10,000 while she worked there.
Administration assistant Jennifer Carstairs, 26, pled guilty to embezzling the sum from the care homes firm over a period of nearly 18 months.
She was only caught when discrepancies were noted in company receipts and bank statements around the time she was going on maternity leave.
Carstairs, of Scott Road in Glenrothes, had initially faced an allegation of embezzling more than £14,000.
The first offender pled guilty to taking the lower sum between the beginning of May 2019 and the end of September 2020.
He lawyer said she had spent the money on personal items including birthday and Christmas presents.
£3,000 saved by accused
She told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court: “She has never been in trouble before.
“She worked at the company in question for two years and before going off on maternity leave is when the offences came to light.
“She co-operated fully with her employer in the investigation and she made an admission of her guilt straight away.
“She has been saving money and has around £3,000 saved.
“She would be in a position to pay compensation straight away with the sum of £3,000.”
She added: “She is very remorseful and I think that is genuine.
“This is vouched for by the author of the [social work] report.”
Full sum to be paid back within four years
Sheriff James Williamson told Carstairs: “This is a serious matter.
“You were in a position of trust and you abused that trust to the tune of £10,000.
“You are a first offender, which puts you in a different position as far as your liberty is concerned.
“I am satisfied there is an alternative to custody and that is unpaid work.”
The sheriff placed her on a community payback order with supervision, with a requirement to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work in the community to be completed in 12 months.
Sheriff Williamson also made a compensation order for the full £10,000, with £3,000 to be paid within the next two weeks and the remainder to be paid at a rate of £150 a month.
Kirkcaldy-based Kingdom Homes runs 12 care homes across Fife and also offers respite care.
The firm was previously approached for comment.
