CENTRAL NEWS SERVICE, 33 GOODGE STREET, LONDON W1

CENTRAL NEWS SERVICE, 33 GOODGE STREET, LONDON W1
PHONE 323 2899
QUERIES: 236 0116

SECRETARY.

1

A TRUSTED SECRETARY FIDDLED THOUSANDS OF POUNDS FROM HER BOSS’S
EXPENSE ACCOUNT AND WENT ON A SPENDING SPREE, A COURT HEARD.

JACQUELINE DONALD-EDMUNDS, 29, TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER BOSS’S TRAVELS
TO STEAL 34,000 POUNDS.

AND SHE WASTED NO TIME IN BLOWING THE LOT ON GOODS
SHE DID NOT REALLY NEED, AN OLD BAILEY JUDGE WAS TOLD.

“SHE TOOK THE MONEY IN LARGE QUANTITIES AND SPENT AND SPENT AND
SPENT”, SAID MR STEPHEN SOLLEY, DEFENDING.

“HER HOUSE IS FULL OF CUPBOARDS BRIMMING WITH IRRELEVANT PURCHASES
– DRESSES, COATS AND CLOTHES FOR HER CHILDREN IN THE HUNDREDS”.

DONALD-EDMUNDS, OF CLARENCE ROAD, BICKLEY, KENT, WAS JAILED FOR 15
MONTHS WHEN SHE ADMITTED STEALING THE MONEY FROM HER BOSS AT J.

P.

MORGAN
INVESTMENTS, OF ANGEL COURT, CITY OF LONDON.

JUDGE ROBERT LYMBERY, QC, TOLD HER: “I BEAR IN MIND THAT YOU HAVE
GOT TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND THAT THE TIME YOU SPEND IN CUSTODY WILL BE MORE
PAINFUL THAN FOR OTHERS.

“BUT PEOPLE MUST NOT GET AWAY WITH THE IDEA THAT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE
OFFENDER IS A WOMAN WITH YOUNG CHILDREN SHE WILL NOT GO TO PRISON.

”
THE JUDGE ADDED THAT DONALD-EDMUNDS HAD GONE ON A SPENDING SPREE
BUYING A VARIETY OF ITEMS INCLUDING A KITCHEN FOR HER HOME WORTH FOUR OR
FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS.

MR JOHN REEKERS, PROSECUTING SAID THAT DONALD-EDMUNDS, WHO SUPPORTS
HER UNEMPLOYED HUSBAND, HAD BEEN EARNING 10,500 POUNDS A YEAR.

SHE WORKED
AS A “WELL-RESPECTED AND TRUSTED” PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO MR WALTER ZINSSER,
A PORTFOLIO MANAGER AT THE BANK
PART OF HER JOB WAS TO SWITCH MONEY FROM HER BOSS’S EXPENSE ACCOUNT
TO HIS OWN BANK ACCOUNT.

BUT SHE BEGAN POCKETING HUGE SUMS OF THE MONEY
OWED TO HIM FOR HIS EXPENSES ON FREQUENT BUSINESS TRIPS.

DONALD-EDMUNDS WAS DISCOVERED WHEN SHE TRIED TO COVER UP FOR THE
FACT THAT THOUSANDS OF POUNDS WERE MISSING FROM THE ACCOUNT.

SHE REMOVED
MONEY FROM AN ACCOUNT OF A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK AND TRIED TO USE IT
TO BALANCE THE BOOKS.

BUT HE NOTICED THE MONEY WAS MISSING AND SHE WAS
CAUGHT.

WHEN HER SHOCKED BOSS ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATIONS TOLD
HIM SHE WAS UNDER FINANCIAL PRESSURE AT HOME, PREGNANT, AND DID NOT WANT
THE BABY TO COME HOME TO A WRECK OF A HOUSE.

MR SOLLEY SAID SHE HAD RISEN QUICKLY SINCE JOINING THE BANK IN 1980
BECAUSE OF HER CONSIDERABLE ABILITY AND CHARMING PERSONALITY.

HER BOSS VALUED HER SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO KEEP HER IN HIS
EMPLOYMENT EVEN AFTER THE INITIAL DISCOVERY SOME OF THE THEFTS.

NOW SHE WOULD FIND IT HARD TO GET ANOTHER JOB, HE ADDED.

MR SOLLEY SAID THE EXPLANATION FOR HER “ASTONISHING” LAPSE INTO
CRIME LAY IN THE “CATASTROPHIC EFFECT” OF DEPRESSION FOLLOWING THE BIRTH OF
HER FIRST CHILD.

HE ADDED THAT SHE AT FIRST REJECTED THE CHILD.

“SHE WENT THROUGH A
TRAUMATIC TIME.

”
THE COURT HEARD THAT DONALD-EDMUNDS USED THE MONEY SHE STOLE TO
SPEND ON THE CHILD AND THE FAMILY.

“IT WAS ALMOST AN ATTEMPT TO BUY OFF, OR TO MAKE UP FOR THE LACK
OF SECURITY AND AFFECTION SHE FELT FOR THE FIRST CHILD”, SAID MR SOLLEY.

COUNSEL ADDED: “THIS WAS NOT A COLD AND DELIBERATE FRAUD FOR THE
BETTERMENT OF HER FUTURE.

ENDS