A petrol station manager who stole more than £12,000 by cashing in fake scratch cards winnings has been sentenced.
Emma Grimes, 41, was a site manager at Applegreen fuel station in Ely between August 2019 and October 2020.
A regional manager was investigating financial discrepancies at the station when it was discovered that Grimes had paid herself £12,370 in fake scratch card winnings.
She initially denied any wrongdoing and claimed it must have been another employee.
However, evidence showed the payouts were only made when Grimes was on shift and using her till login details.
Grimes, of Spalding Common, Spalding, pleaded guilty to theft by employee and was sentenced on Tuesday (23 April) at Cambridge Crown Court to 17 months in prison, suspended for 21 months.
She was also told to complete 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement, 100 hours unpaid work, and pay £2,400 compensation.
DC Lucy Holderness said: “It’s clear that over time Grimes became more brazen about stealing from her employer.
“While scratch cards may be a lottery, altering the books and staging wins for yourself will ultimately land you in front of a judge.”
