North British Hotel employee in court over book keeping swindle

A HOTEL administrator swindled more than £76,000 from her bosses over a five-year period, a court heard today.

Jill Calder, 39, was snared when another employee noticed book keeping irregularities after she had left North British Trust Hotels in Edinburgh for another job.

Fiscal depute John Kirk told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: "Calder was employed in the administration of the company in question and her role there was book keeping.

"It appears that this came to light when one of the staff who was due legitimate expenses had not received payment for this expenses and Calder had left to go to another job.

"The matter was looked into and book keeping irregularities were discovered.

"The investigation revealed over a period of time she had abused her position as purchase ledger manager and had been paying amounts to herself.

"On one occasion she had actually paid back some of the money she had taken."

The fiscal added that financial checks did not appear to have been carried out at the company.

Calder, of Marina Road, Bathgate, admitted embezzling 76,871.98 while employed as a purchase ledger manager at North British Trust Hotels, 1 Queen Charlotte Lane, Edinburgh.

The offence happened between 1 July, 2004, and 16 March, 2009.

Defence agent Graeme Clark said the money had been frittered away over the period of time and that Calder had lost her home and job. He added that her parents were in the process of trying to buy her home, which had been repossessed.

Sheriff Deidre MacNeill QC deferred sentence on Calder for background reports until next month.

She is on bail in the meantime.