Kelly Kershaw (Image: North Wales Police)
Last Updated: 2 minutes ago
A building society employee who systematically targeted elderly and vulnerable people to bankroll an extravagant lifestyle of foreign holidays and luxury spending has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Sentencing
Kelly Kershaw, 54, of Nefyn, north Wales, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court after admitting five counts of fraud committed during 2023 and 2024.
Judge Timothy Petts said only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate, telling Kershaw: “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.”
He stressed the need for the sentence to act as a deterrent, adding: “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.”
A proceeds of crime hearing is expected to take place later this year to recover losses to the building society.
The victims
Kershaw had worked at Nationwide for 17 years and was transferred to the Caernarfon branch in June 2020 – a location prosecutor Elen Owen described as having a “high number of vulnerable customers.”
Among those she targeted was an 85-year-old man who had lost cognitive abilities following a stroke. Kershaw stole £6,300 from his account. A second victim, a 49-year-old man with learning difficulties, lost £1,400 to her. The court heard he had previously been a victim of fraud and his bank card was kept at the branch for safekeeping.
In total, £8,605 was proven to have been taken fraudulently across five victims. Nationwide reimbursed its customers a total of £12,630, and all victims have since been repaid.
How the fraud worked
Ms Owen told the court that Kershaw processed fake cash withdrawals from customers’ accounts, either keeping all of the money or handing over only part of the sum. She also forged signatures on transactions.
Judge Petts said: “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.”
A lavish lifestyle
Colleagues grew suspicious when Kershaw appeared to be living well beyond her means. She posted photographs on Facebook of skiing holidays, safaris and European getaways, with the mother-of-two describing herself as “living and loving life one adventure at a time.” She also drove a personalised BMW convertible.
The suspicions prompted an internal investigation by Nationwide which identified the five victims. Kershaw was interviewed by financial investigator John Hancock in November 2024, during which she admitted what she had done, and was subsequently arrested.
Defence
Amy Edwards, representing Kershaw, told the court her client had been suffering from a “compulsive spending addiction” at the time of the offences and now worked in the office of a cleaning firm.
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 Petts concluded: “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.”
