Post Office worker from Alnwick admits stealing £15,000

Alnwick Post Office employee Donna Foreman, 43, of St George’s Crescent, pleaded guilty to theft.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how owner, Andrew Philips, started to notice the business was suffering losses.

He set up a covert camera when he began to suspect he was being fleeced by an employee.

The defendant was seen stealing in a number of ways, including charging customers but not putting the money in the till, putting cash in her purse, voiding sales and taking the money, taking confectionery and lottery scratchcards without paying and scratching lottery cards until she found a winning one.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Philips said: "It came as an enormous shock to find the trust I had in Donna Foreman had been betrayed and she had been stealing vast sums of money."

He added that it left him unable to keep up his mortgage and car repayments and struggling to pay suppliers on occasions. He also ended up on anti-depressants.

But he added: "I would like to say I feel no hatred towards Donna. I've forgiven her but it will take a long time to recover financially and emotionally. I just hope no-one else has to go through what we, as a family, have endured.”

Foreman was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 12 months with a two-month curfew between 8pm and 4am and £340 costs.

The court heard she has now paid all the money back, was remorseful and had acted out of character.