Charity shop boss stole £5k and ran away to Turkey

A WOMAN stole £5,000 from a Welsh charity shop she was managing and then ran away to Turkey for almost five and a half years, a court heard.

Lorreine Kucuk had been the manager of the Cancer Research UK shop in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in 2017, when the theft occurred.

She pleaded guilty to the offence and was granted bail prior to a sentencing hearing which was due to take place at Swansea Crown Court on November 8, 2018. However, Kucuk, of Holloway Court, Tenby, failed to turn up to be sentenced as it turned out she had travelled to Turkey.

In March of this year she returned to the UK and gave herself in at Haverfordwest police station after living abroad for five years and four months.

Kucuk was arrested and sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for breaching her bail conditions at a hearing last month, where prosecution barrister Dean Pulling told the court that the defendant had deliberately absconded by flying to Turkey before she could be sentenced for the theft. A new sentencing hearing was held at Swansea Crown Court yesterday – when this time the 48-year-old did attend via video link.

In mitigation, defence barrister Stuart John said his client was sorry and that she wished she could “turn back time”.

Judge Huw Rees told Kucuk that she had already been punished for skipping bail and that he would only be sentencing her for the offence of theft. Kucuk was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for a period of two years. She must also carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and complete a 25-day rehabilitation requirement.

Judge Rees explained that due to Kucuk’s current position no compensation order would be made.