Accountant pleads guilty

An accountant who formerly worked for BBR Optometry in Hereford has pleaded guilty as she appeared in Worcester Crown Court accused of stealing nearly £15,000 in 2019.

An investigation found that Gemma Louise Fosbrook set up duplicates of genuine payments to be paid to herself. The prosecution barrister, Jason Aris, explained that the theft amounted to five percent of projected net income for the practice and subsequently ‘denied staff a performance-related pay rise.'

Judge Nicholas Cartwright has dismissed the defence’s claim that the money was not able to be repaid and said a proceeds of crime application would be heard in August 2021.