THE husband of a crooked office worker jailed earlier this week for a £400,000 fraud has revealed how her lies wrecked their marriage and left him "crippled".

Helen Peverley plundered teachers' pension funds while employed by Capita in Darlington - but the impact at home has been even worse.

The money stolen by the 45-year-old has been put back into the savings schemes by the international firm so no policy-holder will lose out.

But ex-husband Steven, 54, has been left financially broken, unable to get credit and opening a bank account proved extremely difficult.

The self-employed window-fitter told The Northern Echo: "The woman I loved not only stole from me but she has crippled me in the process."

The scheming mother-of-two, from Darlington, stole his identity and made a number of online efforts to open accounts in his name to launder the cash.

When she was questioned about the missing Capita money, Peverley confessed and said she still had it and would hand it straight back.

Yet, she has repaid just £32,500 to the pension scheme - less than ten per cent of what she stole. The bulk, which still seems to be missing, has been refunded by the company.

She spent £55,000 on an Audi Q5, used £48,000 to pay off the mortgage - with Steve blissfully unaware - and paid for lavish home improvements.

The money Steven believed he was paying for the mortgage went straight into her pocket.

After her arrest, she also blew £400 on a tattoo and paid for a two-week family holiday, where she was snapped frolicking in a hot-tub.

Defence barrister Dan Cordey told Teesside Crown Court she also paid privately for a gastric band op as she "tried to buy some happiness".

The Echo revealed last summer that a worker from Capita had been quizzed and suspended as an inquiry was launched into the huge fraud.

The couple and their daughter were returning from their holiday in Cornwall when the teenager received a news alert about it on her phone.

Peverley - who promised police she would tell Steven about her arrest on the trip - said: "I can't wait to get back to work to see who it is."

Steven found out through a relative next day, and told how he vowed to stand by his wife to save their 28-year relationship - not knowing she had also duped him.

But when she had him prosecuted for an assault - instigated by her while he was asleep, police believe - they began divorce proceedings.

Only then did he learn the true extent of Peverley's criminality and discovered she had settled the mortgage he thought he was still paying.

He told how he had to change banks because his wife had used his account to filter the stolen money through and a number of other banks refused to give him an account, despite the police explaining the position.

Steven explained: "I was told the reason I had found it difficult was a number of efforts had been made online to open accounts in my name.

"All of the banks were being told there was an issue with me, when I had done nothing wrong apart from blindly trusting my then wife.

"When I was finally allowed to open an account, I was given a zero credit rating which has caused great difficulty getting financial help.

"Due to the fact I gave Helen all my wages, I'm not in a position to buy a car outright, and having been forced to leave the matrimonial home and start divorce proceedings, I've had to start afresh with everything.

"Helen's greed has left me financially broke.

"The house was bought with money she stole from me and from Capita which just shows the conniving greed of the woman.

"Helen was still looking to live a life of luxury and put money aside for her future at the expense of anyone else.

"She has even sold many of the goods within the matrimonial home - just before going into prison - to try to show at the 11th hour that she is trying to pay back the money.

"I've been left with nothing. The house is only bricks and mortar, but my family mean the world to me."

Steven has not been living at the couple's red brick semi but hopes to get the keys now his ex wife is in jail.

A neighbour said: "We thought she had won the lottery. A flash car turned up and there was a constant stream of parcels arriving every day.

"We thought "it's alright for some" but no one dreamt she had done anything like that.

"She has been living at the house right up until the court case but her husband is hoping to get the keys and move in."

Another said: "Her whole life seemed to change overnight, she even looked different but that's probably down to the gastric band.

"She was just an average, plump middle aged lady and then suddenly she seemed to be living the high life.

"We heard she'd had a big inheritance but to hear the truth of it is a real shock, I wouldn't have thought her capable of that."