Gloria Barnett's companies were defrauded by her niece Charmaine Gibbs, left

by Keith Hunt and Emma Grove

A businesswoman has spoken of her heartache after she was betrayed by the niece she had treated like her daughter.

Gloria Barnett has put her companies Island Bait and Tackle plus Kent Satellite and Island Aerials, in Halfway, up for sale after Charmaine Gibbs was convicted of defrauding them.

Mrs Barnett had looked after Gibbs and given her a job after the death of her father in 2000.

A bond grew between them, but it was shattered when Mrs Barnett discovered Gibbs had been stealing from her, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

"i still can't believe how close we were and that she did what she did and the severity of it…” – fraud victim gloria barnett

"The whole lot is up for sale now as a result of this," the 46-year-old said.

"I don't feel like I have got a very good name there after what she has done.

"She was like my daughter and there was nothing we didn't do together.

"I still can't believe how close we were and that she did what she did and the severity of it.

"It's absolutely torn my family apart and has totally ruined my business."

The boss of the fishing shop wrote in a statement to the court: "I am furious I have been treated in this way by Charmaine. I gave her absolute trust to run my company and she has abused this trust and stole from her employer and family.

"I did allow her carte blanche over the company accounts. This is because I trusted her."

Shame-faced Gibbs, of Belmont Road, Halfway, was spared a jail sentence after a judge told her: "Everyone deserves one chance. You won't get another one."

The 28-year-old was sentenced to six months' imprisonment - suspended for two years - with 200 hours' unpaid work.

Gloria Barnett owns Island Bait and Tackle, in Halfway

Keith Yardy, prosecuting, said Gibbs' father died 10 years before the offences were committed and Mrs Barnett had effectively looked after her since.

She employed her niece as a manager to run the shop, as well as the satellite business, in Halfway Road.

The offences were discovered after Mrs Barnett started receiving letters about unpaid bills.

When asked about them, Gibbs claimed it must be an error. She was asked to go to the bank and get proof. She returned with documents showing an outstanding debt of £672.43 had been paid.

"She provided what purported to be a copy of the cheque, bank statements and a confirmation letter from the bank," Mr Yardy said. "It became clear they were false documents.

"When challenged, Miss Gibbs went red-faced and quiet, but maintained the documents were genuine."

It was revealed Gibbs, who admitted five fraud charges, had bought her aunt a £13.50 bracelet for Christmas using the business account.

Mr Yardy said the quantifiable loss to the business was £217, but there were also consequential losses.

Charmaine Gibbs was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court

Tom Stern defending, said the case was hugely disappointing, adding: "It has broken the close bond between them. There was high expectancy and she didn't want to let her aunt down."

The court heard Gibbs left school with GCSEs and then gained a distinction in business studies.

"She worked for a number of years before these disappointing events," said Mr Stern.

"She tried in a misguided way to satisfy her aunt she had done all that was required of her. The impact of her offending is by no means slight. She is to blame."

Gibbs, who Mr Stern said was now working in a pharmacy, was given two months to pay Mrs Barnett £217 compensation.

Judge Charles Byers said the odious part of the offences was the skill with which they were carried out.

"That I find very troubling in one so young," he added. "I have to mark what she has done, which is base dishonesty which has affected a nice business and has wrecked, I have no doubt, a family which hopefully will mend."

He told Gibbs: "It is always troubling when somebody as young as you were then uses dishonesty in order to get their way.

"What I find alarming about this case is you seemed to be able to carry out what was quite a skilful operation and managed to cover some of your traces.

"I want you to understand where somebody breaches an employer's trust it is a very serious offence indeed. I hope you have learnt a valuable lesson, because if you haven't then you will go through life thinking you can get away with dishonesty."

Judge Byers, pictured above, added: "You must put this behind you. Work hard to live it down. I don't give second chances and I don't improve on second acquaintance.

"Learn from this and hopefully you will have a good career. Neglect it and you will go very quickly down the slippery slope of dishonesty."