Spared jail: Wolverhampton Council worker driven to £3.5k card fraud for aggressive son's gifts

Maria Spruce illegally used her council credit card 47 times in six months to buy thousands of pounds worth of electrical goods – the bulk of which were for her son, a court was told.

Her son was violent, aggressive and difficult to control, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Spruce, a 40-old single parent, purchased several mobile phones, an iPad and a laptop computer with a total value of over £3,500 from shops and via the internet, said Miss Joanne Barker, prosecuting.

The spending was uncovered in November when Spruce was on extended leave from her job in Wolverhampton City Council's electoral roll department.

She had worked in the department for five and a half years, the court heard.

Miss Barker explained: "A colleague covering the duties of the defendant opened a credit card statement and saw it had been used for purchases that were not legitimate office business."

An internal inquiry was launched by the local authority that identified 47 illegal transactions had been made using the credit card between April 17 and November 3, it was said.

Spruce – who the court heard was of previous good character – was immediately suspended from her role when she returned from holiday on December 1.

She has since been sacked, continued Miss Barker.

She concluded: "She told her employer that she had bought the items for her son who was very controlling and could be aggressive towards her."

Miss Wendy Miller, defending, told the court: "This was not a sophisticated fraud and was always going to be detected.

"She was trying to satisfy her only son who is difficult to control. The items bought for herself were few and far between."

The son is now living with his father and Spruce will have to sell her house because she is unable to pay the mortgage after losing her job, the court was told.

Spruce, from Albany Crescent, Bilston, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and was given a six month prison sentence suspended under supervision for two years by Judge John Warner.

He told her: "You had been trusted with the credit card but used it in a dishonest way.

"I accept that you were under pressure at home in relation to your son but many people have those sorts of pressures but get on with their life without resorting to dishonesty."

Speaking after the sentencing, Councillor Paul Sweet, Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member for governance and performance, said: "We are pleased with the sentence. It sends out a strong message.

"The city council operates a zero tolerance policy on fraud and corruption and takes all allegations of fraudulent activity made to us extremely seriously."

He added: "We will not hesitate to take action if we suspect fraud has been committed against the council – and, as a result, taxpayers – and we will make every effort to recover all monies stolen from the council."