Mum stole cash from children's hospital charity

MOTHER SPARED JAIL OVER ‘UP TO £TOK THEFT'-BECAUSE HER KIDS ‘WOULD SUFFER'

- JOHN SCHEERHOUT

AN EMPLOYEE of Manchester Royal Children's Hospital's fundraising charity has escaped jail despite stealing up to £10,000 in donations - in part because she has two kids.

Olivia Spencer, now 29, was eventually caught after colleagues discovered 'discrepancies' in the accounts.

The mother, from Prestwich, stole cash kindly donated to Manchester Foundation Trust between October 2018 and March 2019, taking money intended for hospitals across Greater Manchester. But yesterday a judge decided not to send her to prison because of the length of time since she stole the money and also because her two children 'would suffer.

With another member of staff, she worked in the trust's office at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital receiving donations from kind-hearted people, Manchester Crown Court was told.

Their job was to receive the money and place it into the safe after the donor had signed a receipt book, prosecutor Denise Fitzpatrick said. But an internal investigation was launched after 'discrepancies' were uncovered when donors complained they had not received the usual 'thank you' note.