Shropshire Star

Worker must pay back £13,900 defrauded from Shropshire Council firm

A woman who worked at Shropshire Council’s failed company ip&e and defrauded the enterprise of more than £13,900 has been ordered to pay back the cash in full.

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Penelope Wilkinson - also known as Rian Huxley and Rian Wilkinson - was also given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday for committing “fraud by abuse of position”.

Mr Charles Crinion, prosecuting, said 43-year-old Wilkinson had worked as a communications and marketing project manager for the firm from 2013 and in 2015 she became the products marketing manager.

Between June 2014 and August 2015 she defrauded the firm out of £13,950.

Mr Crinion said she withdrew funds and falsified invoices to cover her tracks.

The offence came to light during an audit of ip&e.

Mr Crinion said a number of "irregular" payments were noticed. He told the court there were 14 false invoices in total.

Wilkinson, of Patrons Drive, Sandbach, Cheshire, was dismissed in February last year.

She pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position at a pre-trial review hearing, after initially denying the offence.

Mr Gareth Roberts, representing Wilkinson, said she had shown "shame" and "remorse".

Judge Jim Tindal said Wilkinson was put in a position of trust and had abused it.

He added: "There was an element of misdirection and concealment when you were under investigation as well."

Together with the suspended prison sentence, she was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.

Judge Tindal told her she must pay the money she stole back in full, as well as £200 costs.

This afternoon Shropshire Council chief executive Clive Wright said: “We welcome appropriate and proportionate justice being carried out after what has been a long and challenging process.

"We are extremely saddened and disappointed that a former colleague breached the trust placed in her and committed such an offence, and that she took so long to recognise and admit her guilt.

“Rian Wilkinson has pleaded guilty to fraud, and to fraud by abuse of position, an offence whose impact has been felt by her former employer and colleagues, and made worse by the fact it involved public money.

“This offence happened in ip&e, the former Shropshire Council-owned company. Shropshire Council takes such matters extremely seriously and this was referred to the police as soon as it came to our attention.

“This case has involved a huge amount of council and police time, but our vigilance and professionalism has resulted in a successful conclusion. I know it has been a difficult and stressful time for all involved and we thank all who have helped us achieve today’s outcome.”

Shropshire Council decided to close ip&e in February last year – less than four years after it was set up to generate income for the council.

The decision came after a review of the company’s performance. It is understood that ip&e cost about £600,000 a year to run, costs that would have been significantly less were its services operated by the council.

The company employed about 300 staff and all those who worked on commissioning, business design, regulatory services, and help to change were transferred back to Shropshire Council employment.

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