Embezzler walks free so she can feed baby

A BUILDING society manager who stole more than £12,000 from customers has been allowed to walk free from court after telling a sheriff she needed to breastfeed her newborn baby.

Sharon Grange, 30, embezzled £12,400 from clients of the Nationwide Building Society branch she was in charge of as she stole money for almost a year.

Grange, who started taking cash from her own till to pay off her personal debts, said sending her to prison would have a serious detrimental impact on her nineweek-old daughter.

The manager deliberately identified two client accounts which were rarely used so she could take money from them in the hope it would not be noticed.

She used that money to cover sums she was taking from her till at the Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Nationwide branch between May 1, 2015 and April 2, 2016.

But Grange, of Dundee, was caught out during an audit and

‘Care for her young child’

yesterday at Perth Sheriff Court admitted embezzling £12,400 while in a position of trust.

Solicitor John Boyle, defending, said: ‘She is well aware her liberty is at risk and that causes significant concern – specifically for her daughter. She is feeding her daughter herself.

‘I suggest justice is better served by having her at liberty to care for her young child and to make payment back to the Nationwide.’

Sheriff Gillian Wade told Grange that custody was ‘appropriate’ but instead imposed 200 hours unpaid work in the community. She also allowed her to pay compensation at £60 per week – meaning it will take four years to pay back the stolen cash.

The court was told Grange had been in a previous relationship with a partner who had a gambling problem and she had been left with substantial debts.