Accountant based at Logistics North stole £400K from her employer

Diane Gould been working for ATEC Engineering Solutions since 1995 when she began diverting the company’s money to two accounts in October 2016.

Bolton Crown Court heard how she slowly increased the amount she was stealing over the next four years before she was eventually caught.

Prosecutor Gavin Howie said: “The fraud became increasingly hard to detect as they had gone on for so long and gradually increased.”

He added: “The defendant’s fraudulent activity was hard to detect, it had gone on a long time and it had increased gradually year on year.”

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Gould listened from the dock as Mr Howie explained how by the time she was finally caught she had stolen a total of £402,814.39.

Mr Howie told the court while working as an account technician Gould, of Lynwood Avenue, Great Lever, had diverted the money into two accounts.

One was a Manchester based sports club she was the treasurer of while the other had been set up in the name of a friend who’s trust she had taken advantage of.

Mr Howie said: “It’s clear that this is a quite sophisticated, if not a very sophisticated offences, with quite a bit of planning over the years.”

The fraud continued for six years until Atech began to investigate in August 2022.

Mr Howie said that to try and evade detection, Gould resorted to forging bank statements and trying to forge or edit invoices after she was confronted.

He told the court how Gould called into work on August 2022 to deliver a sick note and was asked to come to a disciplinary meeting.

Mr Howie said: “She resigned the next day, September 1, citing mental health reasons and didn’t attend the disciplinary hearing.”

After the company’s own investigation, the police became involved, and a search of Gould’s house uncovered among other things a Prada sweatshirt and Canada Goose coat.

Gould, who has no previous convictions, gave no comment when interviewed by officers but pleaded guilty to fraud when brought before the magistrates court.

Rachel Faux, defending, argued that Gould’s remorse was “reflected by that guilty plea.”

But she said that the defendant was surprised by how much the amount she had stolen added up to and said that bigger companies like ATECH were better able to cope with this.

Ms Faux said: “The monies, whilst accepted, are something of a surprise in the amount.”

She added: “Every loss to a company has an impact to some extent.

“But this, because of the relative size of the company, was a loss that would have been felt to a lesser degree than an smaller family owned company for example.”

Recorder Gavin McBride noted that Gould had been of previous good character but reminded her of the scale of the fraud she had committed.

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He said: “And there lies one of the tragedies of this case, because you have thrown that away.

“Your reputation, your employment, they are gone.”

He added: “As I am told by your counsel, you are utterly ashamed of your fall from grace.

“But it is a fall from grace nonetheless.”

Recorder McBride sentenced Gould to a total of 37 months in prison and ruled that a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will take place at a later date.

Gould appeared to make a thumbs up sign towards the court as she was led from the dock to the cells below.