Lifestyle

Mum Who Stole Over £200K From Law Firm to Cover Husband’s Addiction Breaks Down in Court

Published on June 20, 2025

A mum from Southport broke down in tears as she was jailed for stealing more than £200,000 from her employer over four years, saying sorry to her children as she was led away.

Rachel Wilson, 43, worked at Liverpool Legal Services Ltd for more than a decade before she began siphoning money from the firm during the pandemic. She said the pressure of her home life and her husband’s drug addiction pushed her into making a terrible decision she now deeply regrets, reported the Mirror.

The court heard that Wilson, who was head cashier, started funnelling money into accounts in her own name from as early as April 2020. She covered her tracks by labelling the transactions as payments to outside consultants. In one part of the scam, she made 89 bogus payments totalling over £13,000 into her own bank and savings accounts.

On top of that, she cashed in another £196,000 by fabricating office expenses such as postage and furniture, reports Liverpool Echo. The total she pocketed over four years ended up being well over £200,000. It all unravelled last August when a colleague covering her role while she was on annual leave spotted something suspicious.

She confessed everything during a disciplinary hearing last September and again to police a few weeks later, admitting to fraud and gross misconduct. Until now, she had no previous convictions.

Her defence barrister, Lloyd Morgan, painted a bleak picture of her situation, telling the court this wasn’t about greed. “She made nothing out of this fraud,” he said. “There was no lavish lifestyle, no assets. She was trying to keep things afloat at home.”

He explained that Wilson acted out of desperation, saying she felt completely trapped. “She is extremely remorseful and ashamed. She’s not your typical fraudster. Had things been different, she could have easily been a victim in another kind of case.”

Morgan also spoke of her efforts to turn things around. She’s now receiving treatment for anxiety and depression, taking part in therapy, and has returned to work. Her father and son are standing by her, although her son has had to move out of their home. Her 14-year-old daughter still lives with her, and the court was told the jail term will have a serious impact on the family.

Wearing a floral dress under a black hoodie, with glasses and long blonde hair, Wilson could barely hold back her tears in the dock. As the sentence was handed down, she sobbed and apologised to her children.

Recorder Mark Ainsworth said Wilson had abused a trusted position over a long time, leaving a lasting impact on the firm. “You have not sought to deflect blame,” he noted, “but this was a significant breach of trust.”

He sentenced her to two years and two months behind bars.

As she was led to the cells, Wilson cried out “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” to her father and son in the public gallery. Her father blew her a kiss. Her son replied: “Don’t be sorry. Love you mum.”

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