Fraudster celebrated as type reformed convict steals £37,000 after being passed task as head of HR and finance by means of Labour prisons minister

She used to be celebrated by means of Lord Timpson’s charity because the very type of a reformed prisoner.

But when the convicted fraudster used to be hired by means of the Prison Reform Trust as head of finance and human sources, it paid a heavy worth.

For seven years, Samantha O’Sullivan secretly plundered the charity’s coffers, stealing £307,000, which is greater than the organisation gained in items and donations final 12 months.

Incredibly, the 57-year-old’s historical past of robbery used to be well known or even celebrated on the charity, which prides itself on providing ‘second chances’.

Yet she used to be ready to idiot its illustrious board of trustees – which integrated former justice secretary David Gauke, former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Nigel Newcomen, and Lord Timpson, who led the agree with over the duration previous to changing into Prisons Minister final 12 months. 

Now after the mother-of-two pleaded responsible to the seven-year fraud on May 7 at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, her peculiar deception will also be printed.   

In her earlier position as deputy reliable receiver of Croydon, liable for managing chapter property within the area, O’Sullivan preyed at the destitute, conning their solicitors into writing cheques payable to her as an alternative of her place of work.

The divorcee stole £85,000 from the ones going through chapter who needed to promote their houses to pay their debt – and used it to experience a lavish vacation to Cambodia, purchase house furniture and hand bundles of money to family and friends.

Lord James Timpson, minister of state for prisons, parole and probation, at a roundtable dialogue at London Probation Headquarters

After the mother-of-two pleaded responsible to the seven-year fraud on May 7 at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, her peculiar deception will also be printed

The 57-year-old’s historical past of robbery used to be well known or even celebrated on the charity, which prides itself on providing ‘second chances’

After she used to be stuck in 2012, O’Sullivan needed to promote her £237,000 house to pay again the proceeds.

Abigail Penny, protecting on the time, advised Croydon Crown Court her consumer were saddled with debt by means of a drug-addicted ex-husband, and used to be struggling reasonable to critical melancholy.

But Judge Ruth Downing jailed O’Sullivan for a 12 months in December 2013, bringing up ‘an overwhelming abuse of a position of trust’.

Following her unencumber, O’Sullivan secured a role on the Prison Reform Trust in 2016 after her conviction used to be portrayed as a one-off mistake. 

But one insider mentioned: ‘The risk was obvious. Why would you put a convicted fraudster in charge of finances?’

Once a month, O’Sullivan met Lord Timpson and trustees, who had been liable for ‘taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud’, consistent with charity data.

But the mounting lacking cash went neglected by means of the board and impartial auditors till 2024.

The charity opted to pursue O’Sullivan by means of investment a non-public prosecution when Action Fraud didn’t act.

Yesterday, Pia Sinha, the agree with’s leader government, mentioned its present senior control staff had now not been fascinated with O’Sullivan’s appointment and should not have employed her themselves.

She mentioned the present staff had offered ‘robust safeguards to ensure this cannot happen again’, including that no programmes or services and products were affected.