A "THOROUGHLY mean" travel agent has been jailed for eight months for stealing more than £13,000 from the family-run company where she worked.
Belinda Traves, 51, became a trusted and valued member of staff at Holiday Travel in Bridlington, befriending the owners and rising to the post of manager during her 11 years with the firm.
But she repaid that trust by stealing from them in a "clever, skilful and persistent" five-year fraud.
Traves denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury of three counts of fraud and three of theft, totalling £13,302.18, following a trial at Hull Crown Court in April.
She was found not guilty of a further charge, fraud by falsifying records, which related to the alleged theft of £83,000 in cash.
Sentencing her at the same court yesterday, Recorder Patrick Palmer told Traves: "I form the view that this was a thoroughly mean offence. Throughout this hearing you continued to deny the offence and showed no remorse at all."
The judge said the effect on the company's owners and directors, brothers Steve and Timothy Allerston, had been great and continued to be felt.
He said: "I've read the victim impact statements from Mr Stephen and Mr Timothy Allerston.
"I saw both of those gentlemen give evidence in court, and it's quite clear to me that your offending against them has caused them considerable upset indeed, not only when they were investigating the offences but in recent years.
"The effect of those offences is still affecting their business.
"They take that personally and it's plain that is still causing distress to them.
"There can only have been one motive and that must have been greed."
During the trial, it was revealed Traves was first investigated by the company in 2008 after complaints from two colleagues that she had replaced their initials on holiday files with her own, potentially affecting their commission.
But that initial probe was shelved, with managing director Steve Allerston telling the court that although he was convinced she had altered the records, he decided to "brush it under the carpet" and move on.
He said Traves, who had first joined the company on work experience, had become a trusted friend.
Explaining his decision to the jury, Mr Allerston said: "We tried to look at the bigger picture, tried to justify it, that it was something that was done because she wanted to be one of the top salespeople, and it was sales-driven rather."
But following further concerns about Traves, a second investigation began in 2012, which resulted in police being called in. She was arrested on April 3, 2012.
Traves, of Castley Lane, Pool-in-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire, had no previous convictions.
Her barrister, Nicholas de la Poer, said: "She had, for more than 45 years, led not just a crime-free life but an exemplary life."
He said he accepted on Traves's behalf that the custody threshold had been crossed, but asked for the sentence to be suspended, noting her record, the "extraordinary" length of time between the beginning of the proceedings and their conclusion, and the fact she was now full-time carer for her husband.
She had not only lost her good name, Mr de la Poer said, but would now find it extremely difficult to find work in the future.
After the hearing, Steve Allerston said: "It's great that we can move on but it's very sad as well – there are no winners in this case.
"It was a situation we never wanted and suddenly found ourselves involved in. Thankfully, now we can get back to focusing on our business, which is what we should be doing.
"A lady who we trusted has come along and taken advantage of us."
