Kelly Kershaw, 54, was probed after colleagues became suspicious over how she could afford her jet-set lifestyle
A Nationwide cashier who pocketed thousands of pounds from vulnerable customers to pay for luxury holidays has been jailed.
Kelly Kershaw, 54, was probed after colleagues became suspicious over how she could afford her jet-set lifestyle. The mum-of-two posted snaps of skiing trips, safaris and romantic European getaways on her Facebook page where she bragged she was “living and loving life one adventure at a time.”
But a court heard Kershaw, who had worked for the building society for 17 years, was making fake cash withdrawals from elderly and vulnerable customers and pocketing their money.
Prosecutor Elen Owen said Kershaw had been transferred to work at the branch in Caernarfon, North Wales in June 2020, which had a “high number of vulnerable customers,” adding: “After a while co-workers noticed the defendant appeared to have a lavish lifestyle. She was regularly gong on expensive foreign holidays and there were other indications of extravagant spending.”
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Owen said “due to the suspicions raised” an internal probe was launched by Nationwide and identified five victims. She added that Kershaw – who also drove a personalised BMW convertible – would process cash withdrawals from accounts but pocket either some or all of the money from herself.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard Kershaw’s victims included an 85-year-old man who had lost some “cognitive abilities” after suffering a stroke – and she stole £6,300 from him. Another victim was a 49-year-old man who suffered learning difficulties who lost £1,400 to Kershaw – and “ironically” had his bank card kept in the branch as he was a previous victim of fraud.
Owen said Kershaw was interviewed by financial investigator John Hancock in November 2024 and admitted what she had done and was arrested by police. She added: “The total amount which can be shown to be taken fraudulently is £8,605, the building society did however reimburse customers to the total of £12,630.”
Kershaw of Nefyn, north Wales, admitted five counts of fraud, during 2023 and 2024. Amy Edwards, defending, said Kershaw, who now works in the office of a cleaning firm was suffering from a “compulsive spending addiction” at the time. She said: “She gave a full and frank admission to the offence and showed remorse to each of her victims. That is genuine remorse and regret for what she did.”
Judge Timothy Petts said Kershaw needed to be jailed as a “deterrent” to other cashiers so as to “prevent others from doing the same.” He continued: “While working as a building society cashier in Caernarfon you systematically stole £8,605 from five elderly or vulnerable customers over a period of 11 months.
“Your pattern of offending was repeated. You forged peoples signatures or you would take their card to withdraw a large sum from the account and only hand over part of it. You were asked why you targeted those people in particular, you said they were ‘easy targets who wouldn’t notice the money going from their accounts.”
“The reality is you only stopped stealing money because suspicions were raised about your lifestyle, investigations took place and your fraud was discovered.” He added: “Appropriate punishment in this case can only be achieved in my view by immediate custody.
“The reality is such sustained fraud and breach of trust against vulnerable customers has to be taken very seriously. It shakes the confidence and trust in Nationwide and other financial institutions if cashiers in positions of trust such as you can skim off £8,000-plus without any consequences. Cashiers have to be trusted.”
Kershaw was jailed for 16 months. The court heard all victims had all been reimbursed by Nationwide but a proceeds of crime hearing is due to take place later this year to cover losses to the building society.
