A jeweller defrauded her uncle's business out of more than £26,000 worth of jewellery and money by using business accounts to buy Clogau Gold which she then sold on eBay. The fraud left her uncle feeling betrayed by his niece and unable to retire for another 10 years.
Sian McLean, 47, was employed at her uncle Michael Newth's shop KMP Jewellers in Maesteg, Bridgend, between May 2015 and March 2019. Her role entailed opening and closing the shop, serving customers, buying and selling jewellery, and ordering from suppliers as well as acting as the bookkeeper and preparing accounts.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard she took on a greater role at the jewellers after Mr Newth spent time in Spain caring for his brother. But in March 2019 inquiries were made regarding a missing necklace and it was discovered that bank accounts related to the business did not tally with card payments being made in the shop and a substantial amount of jewellery was missing.
