A County Tyrone woman has pleaded guilty to stealing £2.3 million from her former employer over an eight-year period, in what is believed to be Northern Ireland's largest single employee fraud case.
Appearing at Dungannon Crown Court, she admitted 16 counts of converting criminal property, nine counts of fraud by abuse of position, and one count of possessing fraudulent bank statements. The defendant cannot be named after claiming she would self-harm if identified in connection with the offences.
The woman worked for a company in Cookstown, and the business owners attended court to hear the guilty pleas. They will have the opportunity to provide victim impact statements before sentencing.
The case first came to Dungannon Magistrates' Court in 2016, when she initially faced 615 charges. The judge ordered a pre-sentence report and a psychiatric report. When asked about voluntary restitution, the defence lawyer said it would depend on the sale of the defendant's property, confirming there was 'no substantial dispute' to the £2.3 million figure.
A prosecution barrister confirmed that confiscation proceedings have begun. The defendant was released on continuing bail and will return to court for sentencing in December.
