A former Chelsea FC employee has been spared jail for creating false refunds on tickets to defraud the club out of more than £200,000.
Claire Walsh, 39, who worked as an assistant treasury manager at the Premier League football club, admitted dishonestly abusing her position to obtain £208,521.65 for herself between June 8 2019 and October 23 2023.
She was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for 18 months at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday.
If a Chelsea season ticket holder was unable to attend a home match at Stamford Bridge, they could make tickets available on a club-run ticket exchange site for purchase by other season ticket holders and club members, the court was told.
Prosecutor Alex Alawode said Walsh, whose role involved administering manual refunds, was "creating false refunds for tickets that had not been put onto the exchange site".
He added: "No tickets existed, she was simply creating a refund as if a ticket did exist on the sheet."
The prosecutor said an investigation established an "unusually high number of manual refunds on credit cards established to be in the name of and belonging to the defendant".
Sentencing Walsh, Her Honour Judge Fiona Barrie told the defendant: "This is plainly an abuse of trust.
"You held a responsible and trusted position in the finance department and were trusted to handle large sums of money, and you used that position to defraud your employer."
The judge said it was "significant" that the offending was "driven by a desire to help your family who were struggling".
She added that Walsh had "strong personal mitigation" including no prior convictions and "genuine remorse".
Wearing a black top and coat, Walsh cried as the suspended sentence was read out.
Mr Alawode said Walsh, who started working for Chelsea in 2007, told the club that "her mother was terminally ill and she had fallen into debt while trying to provide for her family" when confronted about the refunds.
Walsh was told "she could face a club disciplinary process or immediately resign, and she decided to do the latter", the court heard.
Mitigating for Walsh, Joy Dykers said the defendant had told her "none" of the money was left and "it has all been spent", adding that some went on "supporting her parents".
Ms Dykers added: "A lot went on gifts and experiences for her family and friends, trips to the theatre and holidays."
Walsh was also sentenced to up to 25 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.
No costs or compensation were sought by Chelsea Football Club.
Walsh had pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position at Westminster Magistrates' Court in November.
