A WOMAN who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from her employer has been ordered to pay just £120,000.

Emma Elizabeth Rhodes, 38 and formerly of Verwood, defrauded £437,000 to bankroll a house renovation and fund a lavish lifestyle.

As reported, she was sentenced to five years in prison on November 2, 2020, for an offence of fraud.

Following the sentencing hearing, proceedings were commenced under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 to recover the funds Rhodes had obtained from her offending.

Rhodes fraudulently obtained the money between December 2015 and May 2018 when the defendant, formerly Emma Martin, worked for Norco Holdings Ltd – a group of companies based in Dorset.

At a hearing on Friday, September 24, also at Bournemouth Crown Court, it was ruled that the total benefit figure from her offending was £437,431.68 and that the total amount available to be seized under POCA legislation was £120,122.75.

Bournemouth Echo:

Rhodes has been given three months to pay the sum, or she could face a further 12-month prison sentence in default.

It was ordered that two shotguns and a diamond engagement ring, bought for £13,000, that were seized when the defendant was arrested are to be sold to help pay the available sum. It was also ordered that funds from the sale of two personalised number plates and the defendant’s share of a house will also go toward paying the confiscation order.

As with all Proceeds of Crime confiscation orders, the remainder of the total benefit figure is still outstanding and there will be further reviews in the future to ascertain whether Rhodes has acquired further assets and is able to pay further amounts.

Detective Constable Scott Brimicombe, of Dorset Police’s Financial Investigation Unit, said: “The defendant in this case obtained large amounts of money over a period of several years.

“We will always do all we can, using the legislation available to us, to ensure that we can recover all possible funds from offenders who have benefitted financially from their criminal activities so that victims who have lost out are compensated.”

The sentencing hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court last year heard that Rhodes's boss became concerned after irregularities were highlighted within the finances of the firm after her dismissal.

After the company's bank was contacted it was established money had been paid into accounts held by Rhodes and another man.

On the same day these accounts were frozen, the court heard, Rhodes sent a lengthy WhatsApp message to her former boss in which she referred to the missing money and pleaded with him to not go to the police. She even spoke about harming herself.

A detailed financial investigation was carried out into the company accounts, which revealed that the theft offences were committed between Friday 18 December 2015 and Tuesday 8 May 2018. All 29 thefts were concealed in legitimate transactions and ranged from £1,632 to just over £35,000.

In total £7,000 was stolen in 2015, £91,000 in 2016, £233,000 in 2017 and £194,000 up to her dismissal in 2018.

All the money was paid into three Lloyds bank accounts belonging to Rhodes. One of the accounts used was held jointly with another man.

When police raided her home she was living in a caravan and wooden chalet at the rear of the property, while her house was being extensively rebuilt and modified.

Officers also found documents relating to the purchase of an £80,000 Range Rover Sport and a receipt for a £8,300 Rolex watch.