Woman who took nearly £50,000 from Dawson Landscapes in Hartlepool sentenced at Teesside Crown Court
A woman has been spared jail after taking almost £50,000 from a Hartlepool landscape gardening business.
Sarah D’Arcy, 45, was office manager of Dawsons Landscapes when she abused her position to defraud Andrew Dawson of £49,206 between May 31 and December 7 in 2021.
She pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud between these dates at Teesside Crown Court in December.
D’Arcy, of Blackdown Close, Peterlee, returned to court to face sentence this month after being warned by a judge she faced prison.
Judge Nathan Adams sentenced her to 22 months imprisonment, but suspended the jail term for 18 months.
It means she will not have to serve it if she does not commit any more offences in the next year and a half.
D’Arcy was also given probation of up to 20 rehabilitation activity days.
A proceeds of crime hearing has also been fixed to try to reclaim the money she took.
A date was fixed in August to deal with the application.