'Hijacked the system' | Payroll assistant swindled employer out of £85k with fake expense claims

A payroll assistant conned her employer out of nearly £85,000 by making payments to herself for false expenses claims for several years, a court has heard.

Angela Hunter took advantage after her employer, Hull-based civil engineering firm Northern Divers Ltd, updated its payments system during the pandemic – switching from cash payments for expenses such accommodation costs, to direct bank transfers.

Realising it would be far easier to go undetected, Hunter subsequently paid herself £84,848 in bogus claims between August 2020 and April 2023.

Hull Crown Court heard that she was eventually caught out by her managing director, who became suspicious after spotting multiple large payments being made to Hunter’s account.