A LONG-STANDING family scrap business folded due to the dishonesty of a trusted employee, a court heard.

Victoria Louise Bell was taken on by her partner’s father, Consett scrap and skip hire operator James Lister, as an administrative assistant to carry out electronic banking and other digital transactions in 2014.

But Durham Crown Court heard that in little more than a year, she helped herself to £61,560, passing ‘payments’ to herself off as cheque outgoings of the business.

Liam O’Brien, prosecuting, said Mr Lister became frustrated as the dealership struggled financially, missing VAT and Income Tax payments, culminating in him retiring, ending the 138-year-old family business, which he sold as a going concern.

Her actions came to light as irregularities surfaced in the final accounts.

Mr O’Brien said Bell was arrested and admitted having spent the money on drink, drugs and living expenses.

Quoting from Mr Lister’s victim statement, he said he felt betrayed by Bell, who he had always treated well and supported fully while she bereaved her mother’s death, earlier in 2014.

He also felt sad he was unable to pass the business on to younger generations of the family.

Bell, 29, of Welford Road, Consett, admitted theft.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said she left previous unblemished employment of 11 years to look after her mother before her death, but when she was taken on at the scrap business, she had developed a cocaine habit.

Mr Davis said it “spiralled out of control” and she got further into debt paying for her use of the drug.

The court heard Bell recently gave birth and faces the prospect of bringing up the young child in the near future behind bars.

Jailing her for 28 months, Judge Simon Hickey said she repaid Mr Lister’s “support and guidance” by stealing from him, leading to him ending the business.