Husband and wife in £7k Walsall Council fraud
A greedy children's centre manager and her husband defrauded Walsall Council to the tune of £7,000 by forging duplicate invoices for work that had already been paid for.
Lindsey Gill ran Fibbersley Park Children's Centre in Willenhall while her husband Eamon carried out building work there.
The pair forged invoices for work including a fence replacement, slabbing and the construction of a £40,000 log cabin in the grounds of the Noose Lane site.
The court heard that the work was properly completed with the help of sub contractors who were all paid for their services. The couple correctly submitted invoices which the town hall paid for via its BACS payment system.
But they then put fresh invoices for the same work, changing some of the details, through the children centre's treasury account. This allowed them to be paid a second time using cheques made out in their own names.
Mr Graham Russell, prosecuting, said: "The two defendants acted together to submit false invoices."
Lindsey Gill, the former centre boss who worked there for four years, was arrested in April 2011 when the crimes were uncovered during a routine council audit of the books. She was suspended in September 2011 and resigned two months later.
The couple, of Vale Street, Upper Gornal, admitted four counts of fraud at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday.
Miss Elizabeth Power, defending Lindsey Gill, said the couple were of previous good character.
"She has lost that and lost her employment," Miss Power said. "She has a sense of shame. Since 2011 she has set up her own business in child care."
Lindsey Gill, aged 56, was sentenced to seven months in jail suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Eamon Gill, 54, was sentenced to five months in jail suspended for 18 months and told to do 100 hours of unpaid work. They must also pay £300 costs each.
Mr Recorder Jason Macadam said: "This case has come about because of their greed and dishonesty and that they were able to take advantage of the situation."
After sentence was passed, Walsall Council leader Sean Coughlan said: "We have a zero tolerance policy towards fraud and will always take action, including recovery of any losses, where fraud is identified."
