Sarah Gorman, a cleaner from Spenser Avenue, Exeter, has been found guilty of stealing as much as £40,000, in order to repay payday loans she had taken out.
The 50 year old was a treasurer for a trade union, and over a time period of five years, she stole at least £40,000 from members at the UNISON branch at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
Whilst on a trip to the United States for three months, as she accompanied a sick relative who was receiving treatment, colleagues of Ms Gorman noticed wrongful handling of the account, which Ms Gorman had handed over to her colleague before she left.
Appearing before Exeter Crown Court, Ms Gorman admitted the theft, which she carried out by writing cheques, buying things she was unauthorised to buy, making fake expenses claims, and over-inflating expenses claims.
“This was a very serious breach of trust against your colleagues and fellow union members,” said Richard Tyson, recorder at the trial.
“I accept you stole because you got caught up in an increasing spiral of debt and as a result took out payday loans. I regard these thefts as being pretty sophisticated because of the variety of methods you used.”