Trusted worker stole from Falmouth Hotel
6:00am Friday 1st March 2013 in News
36-year-old Emma Jamieson worked for the hotel for eight uyears
A trusted member of staff at the Falmouth Hotel stole thousands of pounds from her employer.
The thefts came to light when 36-year-old Emma Jamieson went on maternity leave and unaccounted-for transactions were discovered.
Jamieson, who had worked for the company for eight years, including as personal assistant to two general managers, admitted in court last week to stealing £3,900 belonging to Richardson Hotel Ltd, the hotel’s parent company, between February 1, 2011 and August 31 the same year.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service said the total amount stolen reached more than £5,000.
Jamieson, who lives in Perranwell Station, would make bookings that were then cancelled – but she refunded the money to herself.
Other times she would book rooms of a high standard and then put guests in a lower standard room, refunding the difference in price to herself, said a spokesperson for the CPS.
Magistrates in Truro sentenced Jamieson to a 12-month community order, involving 160 hours of unpaid work, and ordered her to pay £1,200 in compensation to the hotel.
Current general manager Ben Young, who took over while Jamieson was on maternity leave, said: “She’s worked here for eight years and was off on maternity leave when bits of evidence began to spring up here and there over various transactions.
“The main red light came when an auditor did a review of our accounts and starting asking what all these refunds were for.
“It’s incredible. Eight years she was in this position of authority and trust – who knows.”
Mr Young said not only had Jamieson betrayed the hotel but “really did break the trust” of friendships she had made with other staff.
“I know there are a lot of people very personally upset and offended,” he said. “From a business point of view she was stealing from a company that employs 100 local people. It’s just shocking really.”
He described the sentence as “fairly light”, claiming the loss to the hotel was “probably up to about £10,000.”
But he added: “Having said that, at least some justice has been done. I’m pleased it’s come to an end – it’s closure for people.”
Staff at the hotel would wonder where Jamieson found the money for Radley handbags, Ugg boots and trips to see the band Take That.
One member of staff told the Packet: “We are all absolutely horrified to think that somebody put in such a position of trust was all along pilfering money from the different departments.”
The Packet contacted Ms Jamieson through her solicitor but she did not wish to make a comment.
Comments(21)
victoriameldrew
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6:47pm Fri 1 Mar 13
Lanty Slee
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9:20pm Fri 1 Mar 13
molesworth
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7:42am Sat 2 Mar 13
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:I'm fairly sure that Jimmy Choo is a cobbler not a handbag manufacturer. Also, I'm not sure whether his footwear can be purchased this side of Knightsbridge (thank God) which would make it very expensive for a cornish maid to buy a pair. Even Mrs M couldn't claim to have got them 'in a sale' in Truro...
There seems to be a constant stream of similar cases at the moment. It's sad that so many materialistic people will risk their own and their family's futures for a bit more money for a Jimmy Choo handbag or whatever. And does it actually make them happier to show off with their flashy gear? In answer to that, I was going to ask a rheorical question, "Is the Pope an Atheist?", but judging by recent events in Rome, the answer might be yes.
meerkats
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4:32pm Sat 2 Mar 13
molesworth wrote:think Jimmy Choo does both shoes and bags .
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:I'm fairly sure that Jimmy Choo is a cobbler not a handbag manufacturer. Also, I'm not sure whether his footwear can be purchased this side of Knightsbridge (thank God) which would make it very expensive for a cornish maid to buy a pair. Even Mrs M couldn't claim to have got them 'in a sale' in Truro...
There seems to be a constant stream of similar cases at the moment. It's sad that so many materialistic people will risk their own and their family's futures for a bit more money for a Jimmy Choo handbag or whatever. And does it actually make them happier to show off with their flashy gear? In answer to that, I was going to ask a rheorical question, "Is the Pope an Atheist?", but judging by recent events in Rome, the answer might be yes.
Wave
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2:18am Sun 3 Mar 13
Anyway it shows how poor Cornwall is when staff involved in a good job wonder about the credulity of £200 boots or something.
People with money tip that amount after nice lunch.
It should only be questionable if staff arrive by personal helicopter in the mornings.
WestcountryBill
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10:07am Sun 3 Mar 13
Gillian Zella Martin 09
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11:29am Sun 3 Mar 13
meerkats
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1:32pm Sun 3 Mar 13
meerkats
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1:32pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe
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9:50am Mon 4 Mar 13
Actually Meerkats, I think that photo was taken just after her promotion to Assistant General Manager as a reward for good use of her initiative.
And Molesworth: "I'm fairly sure that Jimmy Choo is a cobbler not a handbag manufacturer. Also, I'm not sure whether his footwear can be purchased this side of Knightsbridge (thank God) which would make it very expensive for a cornish maid to buy a pair. Even Mrs M couldn't claim to have got them 'in a sale' in Truro...”"
I'm no expert as you detected, but couldn't Mrs M (and this lamentable woman, if she's got any of the hotel's money left) just get them from Amazon?
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe
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1:43pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Some people just have honest faces, which helps them in their skullduggery.
On another note; boo-hoo, I'm feeling inferior today: why do my quotes not show up in nice blocks like other people's?
Gillian Zella Martin 09
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3:13pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Gillian Zella Martin 09
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3:15pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:See lol
Actually, I hear she's working as a used car saleswoman, and I for one would not hesitate to buy a used car off her, maybe even knowing what I know now...
Some people just have honest faces, which helps them in their skullduggery.
On another note; boo-hoo, I'm feeling inferior today: why do my quotes not show up in nice blocks like other people's?
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe
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3:20pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Or I can pay you in smuggled fags...
You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours...
Gillian Zella Martin 09
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5:16pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:Just buy yourself a phone that has a mind of its own like mine does and that seems to work ok with quoting people's comments in little white boxes. I don't smoke so I'll pass on the fags and as for the horse meat, I think I've become partial to a bit of venison now, I got offered 4 legs for a hundred pounds but I thought that was 'Two Deer'
Ooh, that's making me fume with envy now: spill the beans then Gill, and I'll let you have a cut of a nice bit of knocked-off horsemeat I'll be laying my hands on soon.
Or I can pay you in smuggled fags...
You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours...
Gillian Zella Martin 09
says...
5:21pm Mon 4 Mar 13
My brain dosn't work when it's cold.
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe
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5:29pm Mon 4 Mar 13
juwhite
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7:12am Tue 5 Mar 13
molesworth
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12:04pm Sat 9 Mar 13
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:Regarding Amazon, so far I've managed to persuade Mrs M that shopping on the Internet is for the ignorant and wreckless and only inferior quality goods are so traded. I literally quake in my brogues imagining the economic repercussions for the Molesworth household when she discovers otherwise. If she discovers Mr Choo makes hand bags that'll be my week on the Tweed cancelled...
"I take it the picture of her with such a smile was an old pic,tho with the lenient sentence she received, she still has plenty to smile about.” Actually Meerkats, I think that photo was taken just after her promotion to Assistant General Manager as a reward for good use of her initiative. And Molesworth: "I'm fairly sure that Jimmy Choo is a cobbler not a handbag manufacturer. Also, I'm not sure whether his footwear can be purchased this side of Knightsbridge (thank God) which would make it very expensive for a cornish maid to buy a pair. Even Mrs M couldn't claim to have got them 'in a sale' in Truro...”" I'm no expert as you detected, but couldn't Mrs M (and this lamentable woman, if she's got any of the hotel's money left) just get them from Amazon?
meerkats
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3:32pm Sun 10 Mar 13
molesworth wrote:you better cancel it then cos i am pretty sure he does bags as well !!
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:Regarding Amazon, so far I've managed to persuade Mrs M that shopping on the Internet is for the ignorant and wreckless and only inferior quality goods are so traded. I literally quake in my brogues imagining the economic repercussions for the Molesworth household when she discovers otherwise. If she discovers Mr Choo makes hand bags that'll be my week on the Tweed cancelled...
"I take it the picture of her with such a smile was an old pic,tho with the lenient sentence she received, she still has plenty to smile about.” Actually Meerkats, I think that photo was taken just after her promotion to Assistant General Manager as a reward for good use of her initiative. And Molesworth: "I'm fairly sure that Jimmy Choo is a cobbler not a handbag manufacturer. Also, I'm not sure whether his footwear can be purchased this side of Knightsbridge (thank God) which would make it very expensive for a cornish maid to buy a pair. Even Mrs M couldn't claim to have got them 'in a sale' in Truro...”" I'm no expert as you detected, but couldn't Mrs M (and this lamentable woman, if she's got any of the hotel's money left) just get them from Amazon?
Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
1:45pm Fri 1 Mar 13
It's sad that so many materialistic people will risk their own and their family's futures for a bit more money for a Jimmy Choo handbag or whatever.
And does it actually make them happier to show off with their flashy gear?
In answer to that, I was going to ask a rheorical question, "Is the Pope an Atheist?", but judging by recent events in Rome, the answer might be yes.