Woman jailed after stealing £29,300

A highly-paid business systems analyst with Tesco’s stole nearly £30,000 on her company credit card.

Carol Bowerman (35), from Marble Street, Oldham, sobbed as she was led from the dock to the cells after she was jailed for a year yesterday.

Sentencing her, the judge at St Albans Crown Court told her many people would give their “eye teeth” to earn her £50,000 salary.

She spent the money on holidays to Japan, New York and Prague, on TV subscriptions, petrol and to clear her debts, the court heard.

Helena Lewar, prosecuting, said that Bowerman took a total of £29,323 between May, 2007, and May, 2010, while working for Tesco in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.

At the time Bowerman was living in Northampton and had begun work for Tesco in March, 2007.

Ms Lewar said: “She had been given a company credit card for her use on company business to pay her expenses.

“At the beginning of her employment she was in debt and she came to an informal arrangement with her line manager that she would use the card for her own expenses and repay by cheque.”

But although one payment was made back, a total of £25,700 was withdrawn by Bowerman in cash and she spent another £3,500 on her own goods and expenses.

“What started as small amounts escalated over the three years,” said Ms Lewar.

She said Bowerman made no attempt to conceal the thefts with paperwork and was eventually found out by Tesco’s internal auditors.

Bowerman, of previous good character, pleaded guilty to theft.

Dominic Lewis, defending, said she had paid back £21,000 of the money. £18,000 was in a loan from her parents and £3,000 came from her new job.

He said Bowerman intended to repay the rest of the amount. He said: “She was very bad at managing money.”

Jailing her, Judge Martin Griffith said: “You abused your employer’s trust and their relaxed accounting system. In the period you were employed there your gross earnings were £155,000 — many people would give their eye teeth to be receiving that salary.”