A pregnant woman who swiped close to £1 million from her employers has dodged jail — but must cough up £221,000 or face prison.
£920k Fraud Uncovered at Newcastle Firm
Danielle Longstaffe, 33, ripped off her transport company by forging her boss’s signature to transfer vast sums. The Newcastle Crown Court heard she stole £920,285 in total, far more than initially thought.
The mother-to-be was caught after her firm spotted between £80,000 and £90,000 missing within two months.
Loan Sharks Haunt Fraudster
Longstaffe had been working at Kaefer Ltd in Jarrow since 2012. The court revealed she was being hounded by loan sharks, which pushed her into fraud. She tricked the company by transferring money to friends and family using fake names.
In total, she made £218,000 of unauthorised transfers and mysteriously hired 33 vehicles through company suppliers, racking up £141,000 in costs. On top of that, there was over £10,000 in unauthorised credit card spending and unpaid tolls worth £19,000.
Suspended Sentence Due to Pregnancy and Mental Health
Despite the huge scale of her con, Longstaffe escaped immediate jail due to her pregnancy. The judge took into account the welfare of her unborn child, handing her a two-year suspended sentence along with a mental health treatment order.
"Ordinarily speaking I would say such a crime demanded immediate custody. However, the welfare of your unborn child takes precedence," said Recorder Harry Vann.
Longstaffe confessed when confronted and cooperated with authorities to trace the stolen funds. She pleaded guilty to fraud by abusing her position between September 2021 and May 2022.
Repay £221k or Go to Prison
She now has three months to repay £221,818.50 or face two years behind bars.
Defence lawyer Clare Anderson said Longstaffe was "wholly and utterly remorseful," emphasizing that she did not get pregnant to avoid punishment but that loan shark pressure pushed her to desperation.
"She was a well-respected employee for nine years but found an easy way to access cash. She’s devastated she let down colleagues and friends," said Anderson.
More than 300 colleagues were affected by her actions.
