Woman sentenced for fraud

A woman, formerly of Leiston, has been given a suspended sentenced for fraud offences.

Gemma Pearse, aged 33 and formerly of Waterloo Avenue in Leiston, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud.

She was convicted of fraud by abuse of position in that between 1 January 2017 and 17 March 2022, whilst as treasurer of Knodishall Playgroup, cash and bank transfers were embezzled and that also between 1 January 2017 and 17 March 2022 accounts were falsified.

At Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 12 April she was sentenced to a 16 month jail sentence, suspended for two years as well as to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work for stealing £17,000.

Pearse took on the role of treasurer at the playgroup in January 2017 until February 2022 when she resigned. The earlier court hearing heard that throughout her tenure as treasurer there was an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with her performance, her lack attendance at committee meetings and presentation of the quarterly reports without sufficient reference to the actual figures.

Close scrutiny by another member of the playgroup team found numerous instances of poor book-keeping and it was unclear if money had been properly banked. Pearse was arrested in May 2022 and following police enquiries she was subsequently charged.

Investigating Officer DC Ed Vincent said: “Pearse has shown remorse through her early guilty plea. However, this does not take away the fact her selfish actions caused widespread distress and anxiety for the playgroup management and the parents and carers of children who attend the playgroup.

“Over the course of four years, the monies taken by Pearse could have been put to good use improving the venue and updating equipment that was used there, benefiting the community and enriching the time that the children could have spent there.”