COMMENT

A finance worker who embezzled more than £350,000 from the British Red Cross, under the guise of sending money to former delegates and staff, was jailed for more than two years yesterday.

Mary Booth was “a trusted and valued” British Red Cross employee for 34 years and worked at the charity’s London headquarters before their payroll department moved to Scotland.

She earned £45,000 a year and retired with a full pension and lump sum after working at the charity’s offices in Smithhills Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire.

But the seemingly trustworthy 56-year-old siphoned off £359,551.27 from the charity’s accounts, which she paid in to her own bank accounts.

She claimed she scammed the charity, which helps impoverished and devastated communities across the world, to fund her online gambling habit after separating from her husband.

Yesterday Booth was jailed for 27 months at Paisley Sheriff Court.

“We are devastated by the case and are relieved that this matter has come to its legal conclusion”

MIKE ADAMSON