Postmistress tried to hide loss

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A 52-YEAR-OLD woman who tried to hide a £57,000 void in the accounts of an Oxford post office has been fined.

Kashmir Gill, whose husband owned Cowley Road Post Office, had earlier admitted two counts of false accounting between April and June last year.

Oxford Crown Court heard, on Friday, how she had effectively become the postmistress after her husband fell ill and she “panicked” when she found a £57,306.20 hole in the accounts.

Alistair Smith, prosecuting, said Gill “dishonestly concealed that loss, day after day” by inflating the recorded amount of cash at the branch.

Francie Laird, defending, said the couple had since sold the business and had repaid the full amount.

He said: “She helped out serving customers, but was not employed by the Post Office and had no official role.

“When her husband fell into significant ill health... she was effectively running the post office, with no formal training.”

Mr Laird said Gill believed the deficit had occurred in one event, either when cash was errantly placed in a Royal Mail bag or when money was collected.

He added: “You’re dealing with a 52-year-old woman who didn’t take the money, but behaved in a wholly foolish and desperate fashion when she discovered the money had gone.”

Recorder Richard Benson fined Gill, of Kidlington Road, Islip, £485, a £15 victims’ surcharge and ordered her to pay £1,500 costs. He said: “It was a dishonest thing to do but I accept it was done in a sort of panic.”