MORE than £140,000 was plundered from accounts by a bank manager who stole to support her husband’s ailing gardening business.
Over three years, Godhsill bank manager Christine Dunford, 53, raided the accounts of customers at the Southampton branch of Alliance and Leicester.
It was not until an 81 year old discovered £5,000 had been withdrawn from her account that an investigation snared Dunford, who last week pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and asked for eight other counts to be taken into consideration.
She was jailed for 20 months.
Southampton Crown Court heard Dunford, of Merryl Lane, had worked for the company for 30 years, including time as regional manager, but when her husband’s business got into trouble, she started to steal from accounts.
Edward Phillips, prosecuting, said Dunford would steal cash from one account and then switch money from other accounts to cover up the withdrawals.
Charles Cochand, for Dunford, said: "She has lost her job, her good character, respect and any hope of an easy retirement. She has shown genuine remorse and has assisted the police as much as possible.
The cash she stole will be recovered from her pension, the court heard.