'One of the family' worker stole £12,000 from firm
An accounts administrator took advantage of her position to steal more than £12,000 from her employers.
Sian Davies had been considered "one of the family" at the firm where she worked.
But she effectively dipped into the till, helping herself to extra salary payments.
Davies worked at Central Windows (Wales) Ltd, where bosses today spoke of their shock.
The 32-year-old, from Glan Cerniog, Carno, Caersws, near Newtown, admitted stealing £12,106.46 from the company's bank account at an earlier hearing.
She escaped jail when she reappeared at Mold Crown Court, instead being given a nine month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months. She was also given 18 months supervision and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.
A proceeds of crime hearing is likely to be held back at the court in October, which will claw back any of the money she has not spent.
Davies stole the money from the firm in Abermule between June 19 and December 15 last year.
The court heard that payments were made through unauthorised BACS salary payments and by cheque.
Jane Francis, a director of the company, today said she was "very disappointed."
She added: "She was treated like a family member here at the company and this is the way she treated us.
"We are a locally owned company and with the global financial situation over the last few years it has been hard enough to survive as it is, so to have someone you considered to be like a daughter do that to you is hard to take.
"It is a really sad case. We are a family business and considered Sian to be a part of that family, but we are satisfied with the court's judgement."
Davies was employed in the accounts department and as part of her employment had access to business systems and was responsible for paying employees and contractors.
Firm director Jane Francis noticed when looking through the accounts at the end of the year a number of payments to SA Davies.
The court heard Davies told her "it's me, of course" but further checks revealed 21 unauthorised payments initially and then 10 cheques as well.
Some of the payments were written out to contractors or classed as void in the system.
In a disciplinary hearing Davies admitted taking the money. She was reported to the police and she was then interviewed and charged.
