Legal secretary steals nearly £79,000 from clients to spend on clothes and shoes

Dianne Spragg, 48, from Caerphilly in Wales, forged 65 cheques at Cardiff firm Geldards. The cheques were from “mentally incapacitated” customers.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Ms Spragg spent the money on furniture, clothes and shoes. She admitted the charges of possessing criminal property and fraud.

Prosecutor Tony Trigg told the court Ms Spragg targered mentally incapacitated and injured clients after developing a “habit of shopping online for more than she could afford”.

“She said she stole to ensure she never went without anything she fancied buying,” he added.

She stole nearly £38,000 from a scaffolder who has suffered a serious head injury and about £11,000 from a man with a mental disorder.

In addition, the court heard she stole money she had ostensibly collected on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Defence solicitor Adam Sharp, said she felt ovewhelming shame.

Judge Tom Crowther QC, sentencing, said: “This was a gross breach of trust. You depleted the accounts of people who, through age, accident or injury were unable to administer their own affairs.

“This money was not being used to feed hungry children but to see you never had to deny yourself anything you wanted.”

The firm reimbursed all of Ms Spragg’s victims.