An accountant stole almost £100,000 from her own company over a three-and-a-half year period.
Emma Wardman was in a position of trust at transport firm Maru International Ltd, which is based at Ravensthorpe Industrial Estate in Ravensthorpe.
But the 29-year-old betrayed that trust as she transferred £98,745 into her own bank account and entered the cash as payments to suppliers.
Wardman, of Gregory Springs Road in Lower Hopton, Mirfield, appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.
She pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by employee dated between January 2014 and September 2017.
Prosecutor Shamalia Qureshi explained to the Huddersfield court that Wardman was employed as an accountant and bookkeeper for the Low Mill Lane firm.
She was responsible for all of the bank accounts belonging to the firm’s three sub-companies, API Logistics, MY Logistics and LP Freight Ltd.
Her role included controlling these accounts and dealing with invoices to suppliers.
Over more than three-and-a-half years she paid money from all three into her own bank account, claiming instead that this cash had been made out as payments to suppliers.
Mrs Qureshi said: “Given the amount of money involved and the fact that she was in a position of trust I would submit that the matter should go to Crown Court for sentencing.”
Wardman, who holds no previous convictions, will be sentenced at by a judge Leeds Crown Court on June 19.
Sending her to the court District Judge Michael Fanning told her: “You’ve pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and will receive credit for that.
“However this is a serious matter and should be dealt with by a judge at Crown Court.”
Wardman was told to co-operate with Probation Service officials who will prepare a report about her on the day of the sentencing hearing.
The company’s managing director Jesper Thygesen told the Examiner: “We have no comments on this matter.”
