Video: Halifax woman 'who was like family' stole £240,000 from boss

A Halifax woman who stole £240,000 from her boss has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Nikkie Conway.Nikkie Conway.
Nikkie Conway.

Nikki Conway, 37, of Willowfield Crescent admitted taking the money from her boss, William Dickin, 74, who thought she was "like family" and a "trusted employee", between 1 May 2016 and 1 October 2016. 

She had been employed as an Office Manager between 2010 and October 2015 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Dickin saw his business go into liquidation and almost lost his house too. 

The theft first came to light on November 4 last year when the victim was contacted by his bank to report irregular transactions. After checking those he established they had been transferred out of his account without his knowledge or permission. 

The victim then reported the theft of £12,485.64 to West Yorkshire Police. 

Further work by detectives showed that between June 26 and October 10 2016, £14,348.38 had been transferred from the victim's account without his knowledge or permission into Conway's account. 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Additional analysis revealed Conway had made numerous fraudulent financial transfers from the victim's account into her own account. 

After being arrested on March 9, Conway was charged on March 27 this year with the offence of theft by employee to the sum of approximately £240,000.

In a victim impact statement for the court, Mr Dickin said: "I was in denial because although I knew it was her I didn't want to believe it. She was like family to me and I trusted her completely with my finances. I never thought a human being in this world could have done this. The effect of the thefts has impacted all areas of my life - both private and business." 

Detective Constable Ash Nuttall of Calderdale Police investigated the crime. "Conway was calculating, playing on and abusing the trust Mr Dickin placed in her. Her actions have had lasting impact on him and his family and I hope today's sentence sends out a clear message that this type of offending will not be tolerated. Conway now has time inside to consider the consequences of her actions."