A devoted single mum has been jailed after stealing 35,000 a MONTH from her work to feed an insatiable gambling addiction.

Accounts manager Leanne Gouldthorpe stole more than 346,000 from the company, a logistics firm in North East Lincolnshire, in just 10 months after getting herself trapped in the "powerful grip" of a gambling addiction.

The 34-year-old was losing an average of more than 1,000 a day betting, thought to be largely online.

A court heard the money that Gouldthorpe stole was now "lost forever to the gambling companies" and the plundering of such a huge sum of money had caused serious problems for the company.

She was jailed at Grimsby Crown Court for two years and eight months despite a plea that she be given a suspended prison sentence.

In court, she was described as a caring single parent to an eight-year-old boy and had been a sole carer after her partner left her when she was pregnant.

Gouldthorpe admitted fraud and false accounting while working for the company at its head office near Grimsby between February and December 2018.

Gouldthorpe tried to cover her tracks during the long-running fraud by falsifying records for VAT payments and the total sum plundered was said to be 346,535.

Andrew Bailey, mitigating, said that Gouldthorpe met someone who was a gambler and became addicted to gambling.

"That's the reason behind this offending," said Mr Bailey.

"She has lost everything because of her gambling addiction. She has lost all her life savings."

She turned to using the company's money after initially borrowing cash from family members but losing the trust of friends and relatives because of her gambling.

"She couldn't stop gambling," said Mr Bailey. "This is no less an addiction than an addiction to Class A drugs."

Gouldthorpe naively thought that she might be able to pay back the money.

"She was, frankly, unaware of how much she had taken," said Mr Bailey.

"She was in the genuine grip of this addiction. She couldn't stop. Gambling has ruined her life. She was unable to think about the consequences of her actions.

"She couldn't think about the consequences, which have been significant on the company she worked for. She is disgusted in herself."

Her actions were blinkered and the gambling had a "powerful grip" over her but she had shown remorse.

Gouldthorpe, previously of Marsh Lane, Barton, had suffered mental health problems and had spent about three months in hospital.

She was too ashamed to tell her family the full extent of what she had done.

Gouldthorpe acted out of character and had no previous convictions.

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The court heard after she became pregnant, her partner at the time left her. She was left with low self-esteem and had suffered with anxiety and depression.

She had suffered a number of setbacks but had always tried to work through her difficulties.

There were glowing references for her and they "could not be more positive" about her.

"She did cooperate with the investigation and made early admissions," said Mr Bailey.

"She has been determined to address her addiction to gambling. She offers her sincerest apologies to the victims.

"Given some time, she could raise the sum of 50,000 to go straight to the victim."

Mr Bailey asked for sentencing to be deferred so that payments could be made if possible but the judge declined to do this.

The "long-lasting impact" on the company had been profound because of the systematic fraud when she had sole access to its business account.

Judge John Thackray QC told Gouldthorpe that, as accounts manager of the company, she had sole access to the company's business account.

North East Lincolnshire Council works with local organisations, such as Krysallis, who work with GamCare, to provide free advice and support for anyone affected by problem gambling.

If youre concerned about your own or someone elses gambling, services such as Krysallis can help.

For more information or for ways to get help, visit: krysallis.org.uk or call 01472 857939.

GamCare offers free information, support and counselling for problem gamblers in the UK. It runs the National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133 and also offers face-to-face counselling. Visit http://www.gamcare.org.uk

He said over a period of 10 months, she stole over 340,000 which had almost all been "lost forever to the gambling companies" because of her abuse of trust.

"Your offending has had a profound and long-lasting impact," said Judge Thackray.

"Only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of a custodial sentence."

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Single mum jailed after stealing 35,000 a month to feed her astonishing gambling habit - Grimsby Live