Eastbourne woman to compensate employers she defrauded

Joni Parrington, 37, of St Philips Avenue, Eastbourne, appeared at Hove Crown Court on Monday (December 19) for a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) confiscation hearing.

Judge Shani Barnes made a confiscation order, having determined that Parrington had benefited £95,389.70 and now has to repay £26,448.39, the sum total of her available assets, within three months.

If she fails to pay she will be liable to a further term of imprisonment and will still have to pay.

The assets relate to her share in the house and her car.

The recovered funds will be paid to Lawson Lewis Blakers solicitors by way of compensation.

She had been sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on June 20 last year to a total of 38 months having pleaded guilty to fraud offences, six offences of fraud, one offence of money laundering, three offences of fraud by abuse of position, and two of fraud by false representation.

Her conviction followed an eight month investigation by East Sussex CID into allegations that she had defrauded some £100,000 from local solicitors firm Lawson Lewis Blakers where she had been employed as a legal executive.

Detective Sergeant Pete Billin of the Sussex Police Economic Crime Unit, said, “Following her sentencing, an expert police financial investigator carried out an investigation of Parrington’s assets.

“This has now resulted in the POCA judgement by the court.

“This decision shows once again that we can pursue criminals on behalf of the law-abiding public for their profits to be put back into society.”