Cashier fraudster jailed after being caught out by Facebook holiday photos

A building society cashier who stole from vulnerable customers to fund expensive holidays has been jailed for 16 months.

Kelly Kershaw, 54, forged the signature of a man with learning disabilities and other elderly customers at Nationwide in Caernarfon, Gwynedd.

She was caught after colleagues spotted Facebook posts showing her on safari in Africa, as well as trips to Paris, Tuscany and Dubai.

She stole at least £8,605 over 12 months and admitted five counts of fraud.

Jailing Kershaw at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, judge Timothy Petts said: "You say you don't recognise yourself at that time, but the reality is that if you steal so much on so many occasions, then this is the person you are."

Kershaw, of Nefyn, Gwynedd, stole the money between December 2023 and October 2024.

Her victims included a 49-year-old man with learning disabilities whose bank card was held at the Nationwide branch for safe keeping after he had previously been a victim of fraud.

She also stole £6,300 from an 85-year-old man who had suffered a stroke.

On one occasion, he came to the branch asking to withdraw £200, but Kershaw logged the withdrawal as £500 and pocketed £300 herself.

An internal investigation began in October 2024 as Kershaw was suspected of forging customer signatures and processing cash withdrawals without their knowledge.

When investigators from Nationwide confronted her, she admitted everything, and said her victims were "easy targets who wouldn't miss the money".

Defence barrister Amy Edwards told the court that Kershaw had suffered poor mental health after moving to north Wales from Cheshire in 2020 and developed a compulsive spending habit.

"She is ashamed of her actions, and doesn't recognise the person she sees as having committed these crimes," she said.

Judge Petts said Kershaw had harmed people's trust in bank and building society staff and he had no alternative but to send her straight to prison.

"You deliberately targeted vulnerable victims, and your motivation was greed.

"You defrauded one vulnerable man whose bank card was ironically kept in the branch to protect him from fraudsters."

The court was told the brother of one of the victims was in court.

Speaking after the case, he said this was a "mean crime, targeting vulnerable victims" and that Kershaw had brought shame on her own family.

Nationwide has already reimbursed everyone who lost money, but another court hearing in July will decide how much of the money Kershaw should pay back.