An accounts manager at a family-owned company misappropriated £767,000 to fuel her gambling addiction, causing severe financial strain and risking the livelihoods of her colleagues. Susanne Redhead, who had been with the Newcastle-based Pure Panel Management since 2010 and had risen to the position of accounts manager, was found guilty of betraying the trust placed in her.
Redhead’s fraudulent activities were uncovered when she embezzled £100,000 within a week and siphoned off £363,000 from the company in December 2024 alone. Following the discovery of her illicit transactions, she was immediately instructed to cease all work. Admitting her wrongdoing, Redhead attributed her actions to a gambling problem, confessing to stealing a total of £767,272 across 445 separate transactions between November 2023 and January 2025.
Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur revealed that Redhead took advantage of the office closure during the Christmas period to wipe out the company’s accounts entirely. This led to the company experiencing negative financial balances for the first time in its history, as detailed in a statement by managing director James Gillam, who expressed shock and frustration over Redhead’s actions, emphasizing the detrimental impact on the business and its employees.
Redhead, 53, residing in Wroxham Court, Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle, with no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to theft and received a three-year jail sentence. Judge Tim Gittins condemned her actions for devastating her colleagues, breaching their trust, and endangering the company’s stability. Redhead’s defense attorney, Penny Hall, highlighted her client’s remorse, attributing the theft to a gambling addiction spiraling out of control. Redhead will undergo Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to recover any potential assets she may possess. Operations director Helen Scorer condemned Redhead’s actions as “utterly disgusting” and emphasized the jeopardy her actions placed on jobs within the company.
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