Fraudster mum squandered £50k on holidays and takeaways in final ‘betrayal’

Donna Pope, 47, used a company card to make payments over a period of two years, shelling out for Malaga hotels and EasyJet flights, while boss Eddie Tucker was battling Stage 4 cancer

A mum swindled her terminally ill boss out of £50,000 and splashed the cash on flights, hotels and takeaways. Donna Pope, 47, of Liverpool Road, Bickerstaffe, exploited a company card to make payments over a two-year period, forking out for Malaga hotels and EasyJet flights, while boss Eddie Tucker, 57, from Southport, was fighting Stage 4 cancer.

The mum-of-two was jailed for 38 months at Preston Crown Court after admitting fraud by abuse of position at an earlier hearing. Pope worked as a bookkeeper at Ultimatum Group Ltd. , a large-format printing firm in Burscough. Mr Tucker had promoted her to accounts manager so she could secure a pay rise and purchase a house.

However, when Mr Tucker took sick leave following his cancer diagnosis, she exploited the company credit card for personal expenses in a “sustained” fraud campaign spanning two years.

Claire Larton, prosecuting, said the list of transactions stretched to 170 pages, and included payments she described as “very obviously fraudulent”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

These included payments for flights with easyJet and Jet2, alongside Malaga hotels, a dog groomer, and subscriptions to Hello Fresh and Amazon Prime. Pope blew more than £2,000 on easyJet flights.

Pope also exploited the card to pay for deliveries to her home, including takeaways, Ubers, B&Q deliveries such as a CCTV system and taps. £1,000 was blown on radiators.

When challenged, Pope insisted the payments were made in error due to a blunder with her PayPal account. Pope initially contested any wrongdoing at Preston Magistrates’ Court and the case was sent to the Crown Court.

She entered a not guilty plea before switching her plea to guilty just one day before the trial.

Pope admitted embezzling £50,000 from the company accounts. Prosecutors originally alleged a higher sum, but accepted she would be sentenced on the basis of defrauding the firm of £50,000.

During sentencing, Ms Recorder Siddiqi said there had been “excuse after excuse by the defendant”, adding the explanation given regarding an error in PayPal settings “makes no sense at all because of the larger sums involved. I am sentencing today not on the basis of a mistake; this is fraud.”

Referring to a victim impact statement from Mr Tucker, Ms Larton said Pope’s actions had “caused irreparable harm to his life, family and business.” The court was told Pope had “betrayed the trust of Mr Tucker with a sustained fraud against him and his company.”

He told how Pope was living a “lavish lifestyle”, going on holiday with company funds. Ms Larton added: “She improved her life while his was falling apart”.

Sentencing for fraud by abuse of position between February 28, 2022, and February 28, 2024, Judge Siddiqi said: “In the victim impact statement, Mr Tucker talks about the serious impact this has had on him, his family, and his business; that this was a sustained and deliberate fraud, and I agree with him.

“He had surgery, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. You knew he was unwell, whether or not you knew the diagnosis. Your actions have had very serious implications for Mr Tucker and his family at a time when he should have been focused on his health.

“There was an abuse of trust, because you were accounts manager and did this at a time Mr Tucker was unwell. This was committed over a sustained period of time.

“I assess there has been a high impact. Mr Tucker was vulnerable because of his health. He has had to commit time to unpick what you did. You accept now that you knew he was unwell and that you caused him harm.

“It is clear you are now realising the very significant consequences your actions have had. I have read the pre-sentencing report in which you minimise your actions.”

She went on: “You describe yourself as taking advantage of his generosity. This goes far beyond that. This was fraud over a two year period. The offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.”

The judge stated she had considered Pope’s previously clean record, along with mitigating factors surrounding her father, who suffers from advanced prostate cancer with a 12-month prognosis, and the fact she provides care for her 22 year old son, who has ADHD.

Richard Orme, defending said: “There is an excuse-ridden presentence report, but the letter that postdates it shows she knows that she is guilty, and she has expressed remorse to Mr Tucker.”

Pope received a 38-month prison term. She will serve up to half of this behind bars, with the remainder served on licence.

Confiscation proceedings have been scheduled for January 18, with the defendant required to attend.