Victim 'easy target' says Wolverhampton fraudster, aged 23
Her victim was an 'easy target' – an elderly bank customer who she believed would not notice the money disappearing from his account.
But Tarnya Bridges must now pay back the £800 she moved from his account to balance her till – although she walked free from court.
Bridges swindled £200 from the customer on four occasions while working for Barclays Bank in Queen Square, Wolverhampton city centre. Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court was told how the 23-year-old, of Birmingham New Road, Wolverhampton claimed she moved the cash from the victim's account to balance her till after she allegedly gave too much money to a previous customer.
"She told investigators she thought she would be put on an action plan if her till didn't balance," said Mrs Lauranne Middleton, prosecuting. "She said the victim was an easy target because of his age. He had also had postal bank statements sent by post suppressed. The defendant also claimed she knew how to fix the numbers so it wouldn't show up electronically on the bank's system.
"Had it done so, her managers would have known her till didn't balance."
The court heard how Bridges, who is six months pregnant, had worked at the bank since the age of 17 and had climbed the ladder to cashier. She committed the offences between May and June last year.
Mr Nazir Hussain, defending, said: "She is very remorseful and very sorry. Miss Bridges hasn't taken the money for lifestyle reasons. She said it was a stupid mistake."
Bridges pleaded guilty to a single charge of fraud by abuse of position. Magistrates sentenced her to a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months. She will also be supervised for 12 months. In addition, Bridges was ordered to pay £800 in compensation to Barclays Bank, £85 in court costs and a £80 victim surcharge.