A woman with a history of theft and false accounting was employed by Pembrokeshire County Council in a financial role before using council money to pay her rent and buy gifts on Amazon. Karen Deakin, 56, from Haverfordwest, spent almost £7,000 using her own company card and the cards of former colleagues while working as a purchase cards officer.
Deakin had previously been sentenced for theft by an employee and false accounting in 1996, obtaining equity by deception in 2004, and making false representations for gain in 2012. Despite this record, the council hired her for a financial position.
Discovery of the Fraud
The offending came to light in November 2024 when a trainee accountant began reviewing the department's budget. The trainee expected the department to have spent just over 50% of its £1,000 consumables budget by that point in the year, but data showed it had spent 365%.
The trainee noticed that £3,036 had been spent in September on the work card of someone who had left their role at the end of August. The former employee said she had handed her card back when she left. Deakin, when asked about the card return process, said Barclays would not provide further information about the purchases.
Payments to Her Own Rent Account
One payment of £535 was made to Pembrokeshire County Council and traced to a council housing rent account linked to Deakin. Further payments to the same account were made in September using the card of another former employee who had left in July. Deakin's own card made 18 payments to the account between March 22, 2024, and October 29, 2024, despite having a supposed £1 credit limit.
The court heard Deakin amended the credit limit and her manager's name herself, meaning notifications about changes were sent to her. The addresses on all the cards were changed to her home address.
Deakin made "full and frank" admissions during an internal council interview and told police she had been experiencing financial difficulties due to an online gambling addiction. In total, she spent £6,915.24 on the cards, though the council said the real loss was closer to £10,000 because she continued to be paid while suspended and under investigation.
Court Sentencing
At Swansea Crown Court, Judge Geraint Walters said he was surprised the council had given Deakin a job in finance given her offending history. He described her previous convictions as "pretty unimpressive" and said, "You have a dreadful record for being dishonest."
Deakin pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position at the earliest opportunity at Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court. Her defence, Emily Bennett, said Deakin was "extremely ashamed" and sorry for her deception, adding that she had become "embroiled" in her gambling addiction without leaving enough money to pay her bills.
Judge Walters sentenced Deakin to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to repay the full amount to the council through £30 monthly payments.
