JAIL FOR BOSS WHO STOLE TO PAY OFF DEBTS; A GRANTS SCAM NETTED WOMAN pounds 25,00.

Byline: LYNDA ROUGHLEY 

A WOMAN who pocketed pounds 25,000 while working as a project manager for a community trust was jailed for 12 months.

Liverpool crown court heard that Joanne Garrity, who was in debt, stole the money over more than two years by duplicating grant applications. The applicants were paid by cheque while she paid herself the same amount in cash.

Judge John Phipps said: "You are well educated and intelligent and had a responsible job in a position of trust.

"For a period of more than two years you repeatedly took money.

"The applicants did not lose because they received the money they applied for, but public funds were taken by you.

"You left university saddled with debt and it seems you have never really sorted yourself out."

Garrity, 37, of Pleasant Street, Wallasey, who pleaded guilty to five charges of obtaining property by deception had 119 similar offences taken into consideration.

Geoffrey Fryar, prosecuting, said Garrity was a project manager with the Lairdside Community Trust between April, 1999, and last September.

The trust, operated by Wirral council, exists to improve the quality of community life.

Arthur Gibson, defending, said that Garrity was a woman of previous good character who accepted what she did was wrong and deserved to be punished.