A woman now has a criminal record after keeping and spending money which was accidentally deposited into her account.

Vicky Robertson, 44, of Furzen Close, mistakenly received a payment of £8,400 from the council in 2021, which was intended to pay an invoice from a supplier.

In September 2023, the council’s finance team referred the issue to the council’s corporate fraud team. This led to an internal investigation, which found Miss Robertson was sent the money.

The investigation found she had applied for a £500 Covid-19 self-isolation grant.

On 15 September 2021, several grant payments had been approved, including hers. Due to a clerical error, her bank details were substituted for those of the council’s legitimate supplier, and she then received two payments.

It was discovered that rather than contacting her bank and notifying them of the error so the situation could be resolved, Miss Robertson transferred the funds to another account and within a few months had spent them.

At the time, she was also claiming means-tested Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support from the council, based on low income and minimal savings. She was therefore under a legal duty to declare changes to her financial circumstances, but she failed to declare the windfall to the benefits service.

The council began a criminal investigation in early 2025, with a view to prosecution.

Miss Robertson pleaded guilty on 20 March at East Berkshire Magistrates’ Court to dishonestly retaining a wrongful credit, contrary to section 24A of the Theft Act 1968.

She was sentenced on Friday 24 April, to a 12-month community order, which requires 150 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £450 and a victim surcharge of £114.

A Compensation Order of £8,130 was granted, to be paid at £30 per month via deduction from ongoing welfare benefits.

Councillor Ejaz Ahmed, lead member for communities, sport, leisure and public protection, said: “We accept there was a mix up with the bank details for these payments and a failure in process and procedure. There was the opportunity for Miss Robertson to come clean and admit the money wasn’t meant for her.

“Instead, she spent the money. In court, the magistrates’ commented on how she knew what she had done was wrong, but they believed she thought she had come into some luck.”

Prior to the court case, she had been voluntarily repaying £30 a month to the council, and the compensation order reflects the remaining debt outstanding.

If she fails to make the repayments, or attend probation, she will be brought back to court and may receive a custodial sentence.