A mum stole a quarter of a million pounds from her employers and splurged it on holidays, jewellery and designer clothes.
Angela Boote was a long term employee at insurance brokers Griffiths and Armour but used her role managing some of the company’s banking functions to take cash for herself. She sent payments intended for clients to numerous personal accounts, including those of one of her daughters and one she shared with her husband, though there was no suggestion they were involved in the scheme.
The 52 year old, who has two children, looked down silently in the dock as she was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon. Sarah Griffin, prosecuting, said Boote had worked for her employers since 1994 and many of her colleagues regarded her as a trusted member of staff at the firm, whose clients ranged from charities to NHS trusts.
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Ms Griffin said: “By March 2016, Mrs Boote was responsible for credit control, managing the company bank and credit control functions. She initiated payments to clients in respect of refunds or overpayments of insurance premiums.”
Yet in early 2017 she began a campaign of theft that ultimately saw her redirect £255,854.32 to four accounts linked to her. Ms Griffin said that rather than sending money for refunds to clients’ accounts, Boote would send them to four accounts linked to herself before creating elaborate paper trails to cover up her dishonesty.
She was found out after a client noticed that a £224 refund had not been paid to their account while Boote was on leave in January 2020. A colleague tasked with addressing the complaint then found the money was sent to her daughter’s account, eventually triggering an internal investigation.
Forensic accountants discovered 96 fraudulent payments made by Boote over a two and a half year period.
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She was dismissed and later admitted theft in interviews with police before pleaded guilty before magistrates. Lionel Grieg, defending, said Boote was deeply remorseful and her actions had spiralled out of control as she sought to address her depression by stealing to fund an extravagant lifestyle.
He said: “She has not only let her family down but also her work colleagues, who she has worked with for years and who trusted her implicitly.” Mr Grieg said she had begun to pay back the cash and had so far returned £84,000 through the use of inheritance she received from her aunt.
Further civil court proceedings to recover more money are ongoing. Recorder David Knifton QC said Boote’s actions had devastated many of her colleagues and seriously damaged the company’s reputation while Boote used them for her own enjoyment.
Mr Knifton said: “The funds were used by you to support your lavish lifestyle, particularly expensive holidays.”
Boote, of Lower Lane, was jailed for 40 months.
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