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Rob Kennedy

Former Virgin Money worker facing jail after admitting stealing £1.3m from employer

A former bank worker has admitted stealing more than £1.3m from her employers.

Laura Matthews pocketed the huge sums of cash over a six-year period between May 2013 and July 2019 while working for Virgin Money.

The 32-year-old transferred a total of £1,309,719.67p into her own account.

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Matthews then transferred criminal property by "moving the funds between her account and subsequently spending them".

Matthews, of Rosecroft, in Pelton, County Durham, pleaded guilty to theft from Virgin PLC and transferring criminal property during an appearance at Newcastle Crown Court.

Her barrister, Harbinder Lally, said she has no previous convictions and added: "They are rather large sums of money and it's an unusual case to that extent."

He asked for pre-sentence reports to help the court understand why she did what she did.

Judge Julie Clemitson agreed and sentence was adjourned until December 9.

The judge told Matthews: "You will receive credit for your guilty plea when you return to this court to be sentenced.

"You can have bail between now and then.

"I'm ordering the preparation of pre-sentence reports so more of your background can be before the court on the next occasion.

"By requesting that report and giving you bail, I'm not giving any indication about what the likely sentence will be.

"You should understand, stealing the quantity of money you did in the position of trust you were, is highly likely to result in a custodial sentence of some significance."

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