Cleaner used £36,000 wrongly paid into her account to pay off debts

A CLEANER who used cash wrongly paid into her account to pay off thousands of pounds worth of debt was today ordered to behave for six months.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard Catherine McLean's employer mistakenly transferred 36,000 to her account but instead of handing back the money she spent thousands in just two days.

When the employer asked for the money back she was only in a position to repay 19,000.

McLean, 40, of Broomhouse Gardens, Edinburgh, admitted stealing 17,000 on 2 April at an address at nearby Broomhouse Crescent.

At an earlier hearing fiscal depute Aidan Higgins said suspicions arose when the intended recipient did not receive the cash.

Mr Higgins said: "It appears she spent it on clearing outstanding debts and various ATM withdrawals.

"On 4th April, when the accused's employers realised the mistake, they asked for the return of the 36,000.

"McLean was only in a position to return 19,000 and her employer then contacted the police."

Defence agent Keith Leishman said first offender McLean only had 112.82 of the amount left to pay back.

He said: "She told the bank but the bank didn't do anything about it and she succumbed to temptation.

"It is a very peculiar case, she didn't go out and steal the money."

Mr Leishman added that McLean took the money and used it to pay off debts.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre ordered her to pay the remainder of the cash and to be of good behaviour for six months.