Alvaston fraudster jailed after lies catch up with her

A CONVICTED swindler who lied on a job application form was found out when a request for a reference was sent to a former colleague whose identity she had stolen.

Fraudster Paula Whelan failed to mention a dishonesty conviction when she applied for a job at vehicle sales firm Available Car.

But her criminal past was discovered when the company wrote to Whelan's previous employer for references and manager Kimberly Lee saw the letter. Whelan had used Ms Lee's identity to run up credit card and catalogue bills.

Whelan also stole more than £27,000 from three different Derby firms over a three-year period.

Within the last year, she has admitted 43 theft and fraud offences.

Detective Constable Steve Fuller, who led the investigation into Whelan's activities, said she "didn't seem to have any regard for the police or the courts".

Whelan told police that she knew what she had done was wrong but said she was desperate because of spiralling debt.

In her latest court appearance, Whelan, 33, of Kelmoor Road, Alvaston, admitted fraud by lying to Available Car and also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Derby Crown Court heard that the second charge related to a previous case in May in which she had told the court she had secured a job with Available Car, in Castle Donington, and that the firm was aware of her past convictions. This had led the judge to give her a suspended sentence.

Sentencing Whelan to six months in jail at the latest hearing, Judge David Pugsley said: "You have been thoroughly dishonest in relation to employers.

"Don't ever try to get a job that involves the handling of other people's money because I fear that, if you do, your life will consist of ever longer periods of custody and shorter periods of liberty."

Whelan began her crime spree in 2004 when she took £25,525 from East Midlands Quality Centre, in Sir Frank Whittle Road, where she worked as a bookkeeper. In November last year, she was jailed for nine months.

In May, she was given the three-month suspended sentence for stealing £1,650 from Severn Trent Services as well as an undisclosed amount from meat supplier Russell Hume and by using the identity of Ms Lee.

Ms Lee had been a friend and colleague to Whelan while she worked at Severn Trent Services, in Raynesway, which installs water meters.

She did not realise she had been a victim of Whelan's web of deceit until she was contacted by Russell Hume, of Mansfield Road, Derby.

The company had employed Whelan for a short period in 2007 and found out about her first conviction from an article published in the Evening Telegraph.

During an investigation, the company found Whelan had stolen from it and found a forged document in her desk drawer with Kimberly Lee's name on.

Ms Lee said she now had a bad credit rating because of the debts accumulated on six accounts opened by Whelan under her name.

The 33-year-old mother-of-two, from Hilton, said: "At first when I found out about it, I was very angry.

"I was gutted that she only got sent down for six months this time but I'm pleased that she's not out and about and able to do anything more to me for a while."