A NEWPORT woman who was in charge of an expenses fund for Cardiff council added or increased claims for staff before sending the money to her mother, a court was told today.

Caroline Wooton-Thomas, aged 49, of Veronica Close in Rogerstone, is accused of taking money to give to her mother, Hilary Wooton, who allegedly laundered the takings, totalling more than £35,000.

Wooton-Thomas denies a charge of theft and another of acquiring, using and possessing criminal property; Wooton denies a charge of acquiring, using and possessing criminal property.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Wooton-Thomas was in charge of a petty cash fund for the children’s services team at Cardiff County Council from 2009.

A jury of eight women and four men heard that the account was overdrawn by tens of thousands of pounds by 2013.

Christine Synan, who coordinated an investigation into what had happened to the account for the authority, said a spreadsheet recording the outgoings from the fund showed added entries and a name of someone who had never worked for the authority.

Mrs Synan said the name of a woman close to that of someone who had worked for the council after being recruited from an agency was listed as claiming expenses – but the claimant had never existed and would have been unable to claim expenses anyway.

The petty cash fund was used to pay Severn Bridge tolls and other travel costs, she added.

But on one entry, a £6.20 toll fee, had been increased to £16 on an amended spreadsheet.

Wooton-Thomas and Wooton, aged 80, of Caesar Crescent in Caerleon, were both sat at the back of the court rather than in the dock at the court.

Earlier in their trial, which could last for three weeks, the court was told that investigators found £16,200 had been sent to Wooton’s account.

Wooton-Thomas’ manager at the council, Tony Curtis, said bank statements had recorded withdrawals from the petty cash account.

Proceeding.