A finance manager has been spared jail after spending more than £17,000 she stole from the education trust she worked at.

Jemma Stamford, of Owsten Court, Horwich, was employed in a high financial position at Bolton Impact Trust, based on Chorley Street, which provides support to pupils.

But from September 2016 to April 2018, Stamford spent £17,673, which belonged to the trust, buying luxury goods for herself, Bolton Crown Court heard. 

Prosecutor Neil Ronan said the lavish items she purchased included bridal lingerie and gym equipment.

Mr Ronan said: “The trust operated on a cashless system where key members like Jemma Stamford had access to a pre-paid card to order things for their department.

“Part of the role was to load the cards which was then moved to member accounts and then distributed from there by the defendant.

“This was a serious abuse of position of trust, and it only stopped when she was caught.”

From April 9, 2019, significant inequalities were identified by the trust and a disciplinary followed on May 3 that year where Stamford denied any wrongdoing but later admitted it was for her son who owed money.

The case was reported to the police the following month.

Defending, Alexandra Sutton said Stamford had turned her life around, including getting a job as a carer.

Ms Sutton said: “She entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

“The question is- how did a woman with previous good character with a good job, end up with a serious dishonest offence?”

The court heard how Stamford, who had no previous convictions, had been “overwhelmed” in her job after more responsibilities were handed to her.

Her home was also troubled, and she suffered with her mental health.

But since committing the crimes, Stamford sought help for debt management, moved out of her family home and got a new job to improve her life.

Judge Mark Ford handed her a sentence of 18 months suspended for two years after she previously pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by abuse of her position.

Judge Ford told her: “I am not going to send you to prison today.

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“I have come to the view that you became desensitised to the spending so that you did not think about it like you ought to have done.

“Since then, you have pulled yourself up by the bootstraps.

“I do not think it would be right to jeopardize the progress you have made.”

Stamford, 45, was also made subject to a 15-day rehabilitation order.