Sheriff gives bank embezzler three months to pay cash

A Kingussie bank teller was given three months to repay almost £8,000 she admitted embezzling from her employers.

A confiscation order against 35-year-old Kerry Anne Macdonald is also being sought under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the cash. But defence solicitor Shahid Latif told Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday his client was making efforts to repay the cash to the Bank of Scotland.

He asked Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood to defer sentence for a period to allow this to be done.

The sheriff agreed, provided Macdonald, of Dunbarry Terrace, had a “realistic chance of making restitution rather than a fingers-crossed effort”.

Macdonald had earlier admitted embezzling £7,950 from Bank of Scotland at Kingussie while working as a teller between October 26, 2012, and October 29, 2012. She also admitted failing to appear for a court hearing.

Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told the court yesterday: “This embezzlement came to light following a complaint from a customer about a shortfall in an account. A detailed analysis of the branch accounts was carried out and it transpired that during the period, Macdonald had withdrawn money from customers’ accounts without authority and paid it into her own account.

“The loss was borne by the bank and not by any customer.”

Mr Latif added: “It was an act of desperation at a desperate time in her life. She is . . . . attempting to make amends and attempts to pay the money back. She has some assets.” He added that more would be said in explanation when she re-appears on January 17.