A PCSO lost her job after she falsely claimed that she had not been paid her wages - and even lied about the money being transferred to Jamaica.
Ellisha Wilson duped Merseyside Police into paying her £1,600 monthly wage twice, a court heard. The 26-year-old received an emergency payment from the force as well as her usual wage, but did not come clean despite being given several chances by senior colleagues.
She found herself in a 'difficult situation' after falling into debt through her previous job an an air stewardess, the court was told. Wilson, of Ashton-in-Makerfield near Wigan, finally admitted her 'idiotic' deception when officers produced proof from her bank.
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At Sefton Magistrates' Court, Wilson admitted fraud by false representation. The court heard the missing money has since been accounted for.
Prosecutor Amie Gouldson said: "This lady was a community support officer for Merseyside Police. In September of last year she alleged that she had not been paid her wages, £1598.82.
"As a result she was issued with an emergency payment of that money with the agreement that if she had in fact been paid she would not be paid the following month. She realised she had not been paid in October so she contacted the pay department and continued to claim that she had not received the pay for September. They sent another further payment of £1,598.82."
Ms Gouldson said that as the finance department tried to establish what had happened to the money, Wilson's immediate supervisor had tried to assist her by 'giving her numerous opportunities to provide details to payroll'. The prosecutor added: "Effectively, Wilson had received two lots of pay for September.
"There were numerous attempts to continue with the deception. She handed in wrong documents and claimed that the money that had been paid had been taken from her account and transferred to Jamaica.
"The production order from her bank account was then produced in order to prove that she was lying. It was at that point she admitted she had received the wages.
"It is a breach of trust. Merseyside Police relies on the honesty and integrity of its employees. It was ongoing in relation to the lies that were told and the amount of investigation that was required."
In mitigation defence, Vicky Balenski said Wilson - who had no previous convictions - had genuinely believed she had not been paid. She said that once she realised she had been, she continued with the deception out of embarrassment.
"She had got into debt after the airlines she was working for previously went bust during the pandemic", Ms Balenski said. "When she was working as an air hostess, she had a credit card on which she would put all of her expenses.
"When she got paid, she paid the expenses off. Things spiralled when the two companies she worked for went into liquidation. She was unable to pay for her credit card. She then became a PCSO.
"She got paid but when she looked in her bank there was nothing left. She genuinely believed that she had not been paid and she made the report.
"But then she just felt embarrassed that she had said she had not been paid and felt she was in too deep to basically turn back. It shows a lack of thinking skills and consequential thinking skills. With respect, I would say she is quite immature."
Ms Balenski said that when it became apparent Wilson had been paid, her wages were stopped. "In fact she wasn't asked to pay any money back and that was the end of her career as a PCSO", she said.
"Since that time she has set up her own business and is looking at becoming a bus driver. This conviction may have an impact on that.
"She has been supported by her family but it did put a burden on the relationships in her family. This is out of character for Ms Wilson and something that the family have never had to deal with before.
"This has been going on for some time and he has caused Ms Wilson some considerable distress. She is glad that the matter will be concluded today.
"She has no previous convictions, and she is trying hard to better herself and turn her life around. She did make full admissions in interview."
Sentencing Wilson, District Judge Wendy Lloyd told her: "Like many people in the pandemic you found that your finances were lacking.
"That was the same for many people in all sorts of employment from all walks of life. I find it very difficult to believe that you did not think that you had been paid. I imagine that your guilty plea reflects that.
"You knew that there was a big hole in your finances. You are an intelligent woman - I know that you are an intelligent woman because I have read the probation report. You knew that your wages would not have put you back in the black, you would still be in the red. You play acted.
"Nobody wanted this to come to a criminal matter but you just persisted ‘I have not been paid’, even when you knew you had been paid - which I think you realised at the earliest stage."
The judge added: "It is clear that you got yourself in a difficult situation and you did not know how to deal with it. You chose dishonesty as the way out and continued with that dishonesty even when receiving help and support.
"The rehabilitation days with probation service will help keep you from making similar idiotic and dishonest decisions."
Wilson was sentenced to a 16-week curfew from 7pm to 7am. She will also have to complete 20 rehabilitation days and was ordered to pay £180 in costs and a victim surcharge.
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