Asda worker stole £2,000-plus from store (From Southend Standard)

Asda worker stole £2,000-plus from store

1:20pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in Echo News By Emma Thomas

A SUPERMARKET worker who stole more than £2,000 from her employer has appeared in court.

Angela Clarkson, 56, scanned barcodes and made false refunds at Asda in Rayleigh , then used the gift cards herself.

Bosses realised something was wrong after a stock check.

Clarkson, of May Avenue, Can-vey, was seen on CCTV at the tills processing refunds, without customers present.

Over a six-month period last year, she stole £2,287 on gift cards as well as taking DVDs.

Helen Walsh, prosecuting, said: “Through further investigation on CCTV, it is clear the defendant serves her husband at the till and has a number of items by the till which he does not pay for, but she puts in the bag to give to him.

“Her husband was investigated, but a decision was made not to take further action.”

Ann Blyth-Cook, representing Clarkson, said she had committed the crimes as her husband had been in an accident, leaving her as sole breadwinner, struggling to pay the bills. The court heard Clarkson was still paying £20 a month in compensation after she was convicted in 2008 of taking a £3,000 cheque to be cashed, taking the money and then cancelling the cheque.

District Judge Hawgood bailed her to appear at Basildon Crown Court for sentencing.

He said: “The aggravating features here are a breach of trust. She has a previous similar conviction, she was given a community sentence and ordered to pay compensation and about two thirds of that is still outstanding.“ Clarkson admitted ten counts of fraud by false representation between August 2011 and December 2011 as well as three thefts of unknown value on December 18 and 21, 2011.