A bank worker stole £172,000 from her employers using the account details of an unsuspecting customer and her own relatives.
Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday (Feb 6) Joanne Ripley was in a trusted position at the Lloyds TSB branch in Ossett having worked there for over 20 years since leaving school.
But in 2010 it was discovered for more than 10 of those years she had been dishonestly taking money, said Stephanie Hancock prosecuting.
“The majority of her family banked there and during the period she used their existing accounts, loan accounts, student accounts, overdrafts, and credit card details of various relatives and an unrelated bank customer as a vehicle for her dishonesty,” she said.
The family members included her husband, mother, sister, brother and sister-in-law as well as her late 100-year-old grandmother who had all entrusted her with their banking details believing she was helping with their general transactions.
Miss Hancock said: “Completely without their knowledge she then used their various details to gain overdrafts, extend credit loans on various accounts and build up debts within accounts.”
She also stole £21,000 from a customer’s ISA account and took £15,000 from the bank safe at the branch.
But her dishonesty came to light after her brother queried an account and he was shocked to discover he had £40,000 in debts he knew nothing about.
“She has never been able to shed any light on where all this money has gone,” said Miss Hancock.
Ripley, 40 of Broad View, Ossett was jailed for 18 months after admitting 15 charges of theft.
Judge James Spencer QC told her the scale of her dishonesty could not be overlooked. She will now face further action to recover the cash.