Clerks gave account details to fraudsters
Pair avoid jail despite helping to steal £70,300
TWO clerks from Santander in Hayes who ‘phished’ bank details of customers and passed them on to fraudsters have avoided jail.
Letitia Turay, 33, and Rahul Matharu, 26, were employed at the Hayes North branch of Santander, and helped steal a combined total of £70,300 from client accounts between June and August 2012, the Old Bailey was told.
The pair collected customer details which were then used to make fraudulent transfers.
Prosecutor Tim Godfrey said: “Turay viewed the accounts of five customers without any legitimate reason in order to provide confidential information to criminal associates with a view to fraud being committed on those accounts. There were five account holders subject to this count – covert CCTV evidence captured that.
“There was similar conduct on July 19, 2012, a week later when Ms Turay looked at three customers account details, one of which she had already looked at previously.”
The court heard that one customer suffered a £1,500 cash withdrawal, while a second also had £1,500 withdrawn plus a transfer of £5,000, but that transfer was blocked.
Another customer had £4,800 withdrawn from her account, prompting Santander to place emergency blocks on remaining accounts accessible to Turay. Her cash withdrawals totalled £7,800.
Matharu took out a loan in the name of a customer called Mr Vora and over 12 weeks secured £7,500. Mr Vora was at risk of incurring liability for the loan of £7,500 and had to take the matter to the financial ombudsman.
The defendants’ coaccused Kabir Nilmadhub, 31, stole customer Kay Hall’s details, and fraudulently transferred £45,000 from her account into an account named ‘K and S Investments’. The money was quickly withdrawn over three days.
Catherine Rabaiotti, defending, said Turay had been saving to retrain as a midwife, but will now be barred from that profession because of her criminal record.
Turay, of Coopers Way, Slough, was convicted of two counts of fraud by abuse of position. She was handed an 18-month sentence suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £2,400 in compensation and costs.
Matharu, of Abbots Way, Southall, was convicted of two similar counts and received 18months jail suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay £9,200 and complete 200 hours unpaid work.
Nilmadhub, of Leicester Road, Croydon, was convicted of one count of fraud. He was given a twoyear jail term suspended for two years, ordered to pay £10,000 and complete 250 hours of unpaid work.
The judge, Mr Recorder Oliver Sells QC said: “Bank employees are employed in positions of great trust. They have access to the most intimate financial details. Those who work in banks have an absolute duty to safeguard.” GRADE II listed Southlands Arts Centre is once again welcoming the public to a Victorian-style Christmas fayre.
The rooms at the historic building, in West Drayton Green, will be filled with ‘goodies, gifts and seasonal fare’ from December 6, and visitors will be encouraged to deck themselves in Victorian period costume as usual.
Hot chestnuts and hot dogs will be on sale outside, while the Alcove Room will be full of seasonal posies and bowls of bulbs to buy and rolls, scones, cakes and knitwear will be sold.
There will also be hand-crafted gifts and a playroom for children, with face painting.
A spokesman said: “Do join us at the fayre that is unique in style and bound to put you in the mood for a lovely Christmas season, and please feel free to dress up in Victorian style to add to the party atmosphere.”
Free car parking is available on site, at 75 The Green, West Drayton.