Guilty of fraud

An Exmouth woman plundered �19,000 from The Big Lottery charity and Flybe airline.Exeter Crown Court heard 30-year-old Victoria Hayward stole �9,500 from The Big Lottery and was under investigation for those offences when she defrauded Flybe, her employers out of a further �9,500, writes Richard Harrison.Those offences related to making unauthorised refunds to which the recipient was not entitled. The monies were, in fact, paid into her boyfriend's bank account.Prosecutor David Evans said none of the money which had been stolen had been returned. The 10 offences occurred between January 2007 and March 2008.Defence counsel Mary McCarthy conceded that all the cash had gone but said there were a number of factors that would have to be taken into account by the sentencing court, including a serious medical condition suffered by the defendant.Hayward, of Victoria Road, Exmouth, pleaded guilty to five charges of theft and five of fraud and sentence was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.Granting her bail Judge Graham Cottle told Hayward: "You must understand the fact that I am granting you bail is no indication that you will not receive a custodial sentence.