Booby prize for woman who defrauded doctors' surgery

A PREGNANT woman stole £78,000 from a doctors' surgery to fund a boob job and her husband's cocaine habit.

Kelly Holder, of Deerswood Close, West Green, was sentenced to eight months behind bars last Friday (January 22) after she faced three separate charges of theft and fraud.

The court was told how the 31-year-old, also known as Kelly Harris, wrote around 47 cheques to herself while employed at Leacroft Medical Practice, in West Green, where she worked as an administrator.

Prosecuting, Ryan Richter said: "Her role included her carrying out tasks such a opening post, there was no financial delegation or authority.

"The offences came to light when the practice manager found in December 2008 there were five cheques which did not tally with any purchases. These all came from one chequebook, which was missing.

"One was written out to a plastic surgeon.

"This defendant had attended an appointment in December where she had paid for surgery for breast augmentation. She paid privately through the practice's cheques."

JAILED: Kelly Holder

The court was told 47 cheques were written out in the seven months Holder worked at the practice, totalling around £78,000.

She worked at the practice from June 2008 to January 2009, which is when she was finally confronted about the theft by the practice manager.

Mr Richter added: "She admitted taking the cheques and tracing the doctor's signature.

"When she was questioned by police, she said she had significant debt issues."

The court was told an investigation was held into Holder's financial position, and although it showed some debt, this was "moderate", with the most significant problems coming from three credit cards, which all had limits of around £6,000.

Defending, Jeffrey Lamb said: "This is a situation where she made extremely wrong decisions at a very stressful time in her life.

"Her marriage was falling apart, her husband was a cocaine addict.

"The only luxury item she has had is the plastic surgery and her explanation for that was an earlier operation had gone wrong and was giving her pain.

"The majority of the money was paying off debts that arose through the actions of her husband. That marriage is now over.

"She is now in a new relationship and is three months pregnant.

"She has learnt a very sanitary lesson and understands that what she has done is very serious."

Judge Simon Coltart sentenced Holder to 32 weeks in custody and told her she is likely to serve half that sentence.