By Michael MacLeod
A HOTEL cash manager embezzled nearly £80,000 by fiddling with her colleagues’ expenses.
Jill Calder, 39, left her job as a purchase ledger manager at Edinburgh’s North British Hotel before the scam was spotted.
But almost five years worth of financial irregularities were traced back to her when one of her former workmates noticed their expenses had not been paid.
When police charged Calder last year, she lost her job and home and now lives with her parents, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
She admitted embezzling £76,871 from the hotel in Leith’s Queen Charlotte Lane between July 1, 2004 and 16 March, 2009.
Fiscal depute John Kirk said: “This came to light when one of the people who was due legitimate expenses had not received their payment.
“Calder had by then left for another job and an investigation uncovered bookkeeping anomalies.
“There didn’t appear to have been any checks in place.”
Sheriff Deidre MacNeill QC said: “Well that is the double edged sword of the job, an element of it is trust.”
Calder’s defence agent Graeme Clark said: “In terms of the money there is now nothing to show for this.
“She lost her job and house and is living with her parents, who support her in this.”
Calder, of Marina Road, Bathgate, was ordered to return to court for sentencing next month pending background reports.
She was bailed until then.
