THE FORMER finance officer of Visit Isle of Wight, appeared in court today (Friday) after admitting a fraud and theft charge against the company totalling nearly £34,000.

However, Judge David Melville deferred sentencing Joannne Thornton, 55, formerly of Heath Lane Freshwater, until March 11 next year as he heard that she was attempting to pay all the money back.

A sentencing hearing at the Isle of Wight Crown Court was told how Thornton, wife of the former chief executive of Visit Isle of Wight, David Thornton, had access to the accounting system at the company.

However, it became clear when the newly appointed managing director of the company, Will Myles, took over in March this year and ordered an audit, that 'all was not well', said Adam Norris prosecuting.

Mr Norris said: "She went off sick and it was clear to the new managing director that she was extremely anxious about something."

The court heard there was a 'forensic examination' of the accounts and it was discovered she had been transferring money from Visit Isle of Wight into her own bank account. Cash had also been taken.

The fraud resulted in around £19,000 being taken between 2013 and 2018. The theft offence of around £15,000 took place between 2016 and 2018.

The court was told that Mr Myles believed 'significant damage' had been done to the company's reputation as the cash taken was public money.

Relationships with the company's partners had also suffered and the public relations image of the company had to be salvaged.

People working in the company had also felt enormously let down, said Mr Norris.

Confronted by the police, Thornton admitted what she had done. She had no previous convictions.

For Thornton, Barry Arnett said his client had cashed in her pension pot and raised £17,000 to help pay back the money.

Thornton and her husband were also in the process of selling their home on the Isle of Wight and had moved to Sheffield.

He said: "Her husband has supported her throughout. She has accepted her culpability. She has let a number of people down including her husband of 12 years who was chief executive officer of the company Her indiscretions had been done without any knowledge whatsoever on his part."

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Speaking after the hearing, Will Myles, Managing Director of Visit Isle of Wight said: "‘Visit Isle of Wight acknowledges and respects the processes the Isle of Wight Crown Court has put in place today

"I continue to assure our Wight BID levy payers that all monies received have been used fully and in the correct manner in line with the Wight BID structure and plans.

"We will continue the ongoing job at hand, namely marketing the Isle of Wight and bringing visitors to our shores, which annually accounts for £286 millions of economic impact’

"Visit Isle of Wight is dealing with this situation, but this is not of our making – it lies firmly at the door of Joanne Thornton, who we trusted, but she stole from the organisation."