Lonely model who stole £10,000 for cocaine binges is spared jail

"Foolish": Courtney McMath tried to buy new friends with stolen money after splitting from her boyfriend, the court heard
12 April 2012

A model who spent most of the £10,000 she stole from a venture capital company on a cocaine and alcohol binge in a desperate bid to win friends has been spared jail.

After splitting from her boyfriend, Canadian-born Courtney McMath, 25, made out company cheques to herself while employed as a temp at West End-based Delin Capital UK.

In a vain attempt to convince friends that she was living the high life in the capital, she would jump in and out of cabs as she toured clubs and bars.

She was eventually sacked by the firm for constantly taking days off with hangovers and weeks later her crime spree was discovered.

McMath, who modelled for the Jalouse Catwalk show at London Fashion Week in February, pleaded guilty to stealing £10,746 from Delin between November and December last year.

A judge at Southwark crown court ordered her to carry out a 12-month community order, plus 200 hours unpaid work, and pay £250 costs.

Prosecutor Nick Rimmer said McMath, who sobbed in the dock throughout, had forged signatures on five cheques, making out sums to herself of between £75 and £6,220.

She was arrested in January and initially refused to answer questions but a month later made a full confession.

McMath, of Fulham, told police she moved to the UK two years ago to settle down with her boyfriend, but after the split found herself homeless and friendless. "She said she also blew the cash on meals and taxis entertaining new friends," said Mr Rimmer. "She said she was trying to buy new friends with stolen money."

She twice took cheques home and made them out to herself using the company director's signature, paying them into her own bank account.

Judith Benson, defending, told the court: "McMath split up with her boyfriend and that led to the destruction of her entire social life. She used cocaine and was binge-drinking.

"She was using the money to buy drugs and alcohol. It was inevitable she would get caught.

"This woman had a promising future and is now aware she has damaged that. She has now stopped drinking and taking drugs, has new flatmates and a family friend has come over from Canada to support her."

Sentencing, Mr Recorder Jeremy Donne QC, told McMath: "You took a fairly substantial sum of money over three or four weeks on a number of occasions. This was an unsophisticated scheme, cheques were made out to yourself, discovery was inevitable.

"Your relationship with your boyfriend had come to an end and I accept that affected you emotionally and socially in that his friends were your friends and you found yourself isolated." He added: "You are a young woman starting out in life and it would be a shame if your foolish conduct blighted your life for several years."

None of the money was recovered.

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