AN Alloa charity worker who stole over £10,00 from a local charity was spared jail last week.
Devious Lesley Talbot, of Henderson Avenue, admitted embezzling a total of £10,556 from the Friends of ALLOA Centre from April 22 2008 until February 11 last year after appearing at Alloa Sheriff Court.

Mrs Talbot was treasurer of the charity, which helps adults with learning disabilities.

 

She also worked as a full-time catering assistant at the centre. Its main activity is fund raising to enhance the lives of the people who attend the centre.

 

Her crimes were eventually discovered when staff had reported £200 of holiday money had disappeared for the centre, which is run by Clackmannanshire Council’s social work department.

 

In January last year, Talbot also took a staggering £5000 raised to help establish the Ochil Community Garden in Menstrie.  A cheque for the money was eventually produced but ended up being returned and when pressed on the matter, Talbot revealed the number of an automated banking system.

 

After being confronted with the details of what she had done, the 44-year-old admitted taking over £10,000.

 

Jim Savage, defending, explained that his client was a first time offender and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He detailed that Talbot had got into financial difficulties and while she had taken a lot of money it had been taken in

small amounts over a prolonged period of time.

 

He added that her actions had caused her to lose her job.

 

Sentencing  Talbot, Sheriff David Mackie said her actions signified a gross breach of trust by taking from those in difficulty and that he was imposing the maximum penalty possible – 240 hours of community service.

 

He explained that the crime was worthy of a one year prison term however as Talbot was a first time offender and treated as a short term prisoner, she would have served less than half of her sentence.

 

The Friends of ALLOA group explained they had introduced measures to ensure the situation couldn’t be repeated and were looking into the possibility of reimbursing people.

 

 A spokeswoman apologised to members and supporters and thanked the council’s Internal Audit Section for their help.

	18-02-2010 12:32
	and why was this monster spared the jail

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