Bredbury accountant jailed after £130,000 fraud

Nicola Clarke, an accountant from Bredbury, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after defrauding her employer, Business Computer Projects Ltd, of nearly £130,000 over eleven years. As head of accounts, the 56-year-old unlawfully claimed overtime, stole cash, and misused a company credit card, even forging signatures to cover her tracks. The fraud was discovered in June 2019, revealing significant losses for the company, which included over £104,000 in credit card misuse and additional expenses for the investigation. Initially claiming the fraud lasted just six months, Clarke later admitted to its true duration. In court, her lawyer argued that Clarke was motivated by a desire to provide for her daughter and highlighted her poor health, including chronic pancreatitis and a stroke. Despite expressing remorse, the judge condemned her actions as a serious, long-term fraud.

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