Derbyshire fraudsters who preyed on employers and the vulnerable

Published 7th Jul 2023, 11:16 BST

Updated 7th Jul 2023, 11:16 BST

Below are offenders dealt with by judges for stealing money from employers and vulnerable members of the public.

In most cases the defendants betrayed the trust of loved ones or bosses – for years in some cases – while secretly pilfering cash and using it to fund luxury lifestyles.

One of the con artists stole a whopping £1.4 million over a number of years from her Chesterfield bosses, blowing it on a gambling addiction.

Another who swindled £300,000 from a Chesterfield firm was jailed while 31 weeks pregnant.

Convicted or jailed for preying on employers and the vulnerable

1. Derbyshire fraudsters

Convicted or jailed for preying on employers and the vulnerable Photo: Derbyshire Police

Accountant Alptekin, 40, was jailed for three years after swindling £300,000 from a Chesterfield firm, syphoning money destined for suppliers into various bank accounts.
Derby Crown Court heard the accountant - who was 31 weeks pregnant when she was jailed - spent the money on a house, a car and trips to Turkey.
Max Crompton, Carlton Technologies director, took out a £250,000 loan against his own home and made a member of staff redundant to cover the losses caused by Alptekin.

2. Lynnett Alptekin

Accountant Alptekin, 40, was jailed for three years after swindling £300,000 from a Chesterfield firm, syphoning money destined for suppliers into various bank accounts. Derby Crown Court heard the accountant - who was 31 weeks pregnant when she was jailed - spent the money on a house, a car and trips to Turkey. Max Crompton, Carlton Technologies director, took out a £250,000 loan against his own home and made a member of staff redundant to cover the losses caused by Alptekin. Photo: Derbyshire Police

Gambling addict Brailsford, 53, was jailed for four years after she pilfered a whopping £1.4 million from bosses at Chesterfield firm Urban Design and Development Limited.
Derby Crown Court heard she spent £298,000 on a gambling website, £44,000 on caravan holiday homes and sent over £165,000 to family and friends.
Evidence showed money was paid into some 11 Natwest bank accounts.
Prosecutor Philip Plant described how the defendant would scan invoices she found lying around and change payment details to her own bank accounts.

3. Karen Brailsford

Gambling addict Brailsford, 53, was jailed for four years after she pilfered a whopping £1.4 million from bosses at Chesterfield firm Urban Design and Development Limited. Derby Crown Court heard she spent £298,000 on a gambling website, £44,000 on caravan holiday homes and sent over £165,000 to family and friends. Evidence showed money was paid into some 11 Natwest bank accounts. Prosecutor Philip Plant described how the defendant would scan invoices she found lying around and change payment details to her own bank accounts. Photo: Derbyshire Times

Chesterfield woman Jeanette Lee, 74, stole £25,000 from her father who was suffering with dementia in a care home - spending the money at Ann Summers and in bars.
Derby Crown Court heard a total of £63,430 went missing from Lee’s father’s account - however the prosecution had accepted Lee’s guilty plea for £25,000.
Pensioner Lee stole the cash after applying to be made deputy for her father’s financial affairs in 2015 when his condition deteriorated.
However she was removed from the role in July 2017 by the court of protection - which was “concerned about large amounts of money being misused”.
She was jailed for 18 months suspended for 18 months.

4. Jeanette Lee - splashed out at Anne Summers after stealing from father

Chesterfield woman Jeanette Lee, 74, stole £25,000 from her father who was suffering with dementia in a care home - spending the money at Ann Summers and in bars. Derby Crown Court heard a total of £63,430 went missing from Lee’s father’s account - however the prosecution had accepted Lee’s guilty plea for £25,000. Pensioner Lee stole the cash after applying to be made deputy for her father’s financial affairs in 2015 when his condition deteriorated. However she was removed from the role in July 2017 by the court of protection - which was “concerned about large amounts of money being misused”. She was jailed for 18 months suspended for 18 months. Photo: Google