Latest news with #MargaretMcNamara
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Funeral firm theft: Two year probation order given to woman
A woman who stole money that families had paid for the funerals of their loved ones has been sentenced. Margaret McNamara, 56, from Salia Avenue in Carrickfergus, admitted stealing just over £25,000 from her employers, Funeral Partners Ltd, and was placed under two years Crown Court heard the offending took place from 1 January 2020 to 31 August Gordon Kerr KC said: "These payments were from families who were burying a relative and to take that money and to lodge it into her own account is a very mean and nasty offence." McNamara was employed as an administrator with the firm and part of the job involved taking payments from a partner in the company discovered irregularities, a regional manager was asked to conduct a financial identified a total of 11 transactions where customer payments were received by the business but not banked into the business was identified as the staff member responsible for failing to make payments into the business account and over a 31-month period, she stole separate amounts of money ranging from £900 to £5,000.A disciplinary hearing took place and she was subsequently matter was then reported to the police and during an interview in November 2023, McNamara made full admissions and apologised for her actions. 'Marital tensions' Crown barrister Gareth Purvis said there had been "substantial repayment" which included an initial sum of £20,000 after McNamara received an inheritance as well as £100 being paid per barrister Rachael McCormick confirmed this and said the amount her client still owed was about £3, the repayments already made by McNamara, Judge Kerr said the defendant had no previous spoke of marital tensions and financial woes that McNamara was under at the time which he said "may or my not have been a contributing factor to the pressure she felt under that led her to take these payments".
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Popular market closes due to rise in crime
A popular weekly market in Littlehampton is set to close due to concerns over an increase in anti-social behaviour. Littlehampton Market, which is in the High Street and opens every Fridays, will close on 28 March. The owner wrote on Facebook there had been a theft and assault on a trader on 21 February adding: "I am saddened to announce we have lost another long-term market trader. "Unfortunately the High Street is becoming a haven for drug and alcohol abuse, constant thefts and violence towards our traders and customers." They continued: "I am not sure we can, for much longer, give a safe environment for our market traders to trade." The owner added they are looking for another site and hope the market will re-open soon. Resident Michael McNamara said the closure was "another nail in the coffin for the town". Margaret McNamara added: "I think it's a real shame because it brings people into the town but unfortunately there's a lot of undesirables." Richard from the Butternut Box stall in the town centre said he was "surprised" to learn Littlehampton Market is closing and added he noticed an increase in anti-social behaviour. "There's a lot of that going on, particularly drink and drug use. There's a lot of gatherings on the benches, there's quite a lot of domestic situations happening, you hear people arguing in public," he said. Littlehampton Town Council said the decision is "disappointing". "Like many towns, anti-social behaviour and crime incidents occur in Littlehampton, and these are being addressed by the Local Neighbourhood Policing Team and the district council's Community Safety Team with a robust approach to street drinking, anti-social behaviour and crime," a spokesperson said. District Commander Ch Insp William Keating-Jones said: "We understand the impact anti-social behaviour has in our communities, including in Littlehampton town centre. "Our officers are working hard with partner agencies to address the causes and tackle problems caused by anti-social behaviour and crime. "Our Neighbourhood Policing Team will liaise with market traders to understand and address the concerns they have raised." Insp Keating-Jones added authorities will continue to patrol the town. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Police crackdown on anti-social behaviour on trains Littlehampton Town Council
