Ebbw Vale dental manager stole surgery’s cash (From South Wales Argus)

Ebbw Vale dental manager stole surgery’s cash

3:48pm Friday 20th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

AN EBBW Vale woman who stole £15,000 from the dental surgery she worked for was sentenced to six months in prison yesterday.

Victoria Moore, 28, of Honeysuckle Close, pleaded guilty to stealing the money from James Hull Dental Practice in Ebbw Vale where she worked as the practice manager.

The court heard she used the cash to pay debts and to fund her cocaine use.

Newport Crown Court heard yesterday how Moore was responsible for banking the money at the practice and took a minimum of £15,000 between 2007 and 2009.

An accountant for the firm noticed discrepancies in the branch’s accounts earlier this year and could only find paying-in-books for between March 29 and December 3, 2008, and June 2 and October 24, 2008.

Some books were missing and said she must have thrown them away.

The accountant discovered a deficit of between £15,000 and £20,000 between April 2007 and April 2008.

Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, said Moore emailed the firm on April 1 this year admitting taking the money but not specifying how much.

She wrote: “I feel so ashamed and sorry for my actions.”

She was dismissed from the dental practice on April 2 and the company gave her a month to pay the money back which she was unable to do.

She voluntarily went to the police station where she was interviewed and cautioned.

The court heard how Moore and her husband took out a loan on their home in 2005 to carry out improvements but their debts increased.

Claire Wilks, defending, said Moore did not bank the money at the practice daily and gave it to bailiffs with the intention of paying it back to the company.

She said this money was not used by Moore for a lavish lifestyle but simply used to pay her debts and on one occasion to prevent the house being repossessed.

Ms Wilks said Moore buried her head in the sand but that she had stopped the theft before she was discovered.

Judge David Morris said a contribution to Moore’s difficulties arose out of drug taking which he said no once forced her to do.

He sentenced her to six-months imprisonment which she will serve half of before being released into the community.

He said it was not practical or appropriate to order compensation.

• Print
• Email
• Share