A RENTON woman who embezzled more than seven thousand pounds from her former employer turned up in court this week with an envelope containing £1,000 in cash as partial repayment.

But Julie Montague's solicitor told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that his client had struggled to find the job she needed to repay the money – and that she had had to rely on help from her family to make payments so far.

Montague, 38, pleaded guilty last year to embezzling a total of £7,775 from Cordale Housing Association, where she had worked as an executive officer, between May 7 and June 4, 2015.

At a previous hearing in October, Montague's solicitor, Jonathan Paul, said his client wanted to repay the money at a rate of £200 a month – prompting the presiding sheriff to ask whether, in view of her circumstances, and in particular the fact she didn't have a job, such a goal was realistic.

At October's hearing, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said: “Employers are not going to rush to employ someone who has embezzled sums from a previous employer.”

The sheriff also warned Montague on that occasion that although prison was no longer inevitable for crimes of embezzlement, a custodial sentence remained a possibility.

That hearing was told that Montague had had responsibility for overseeing financial management at the association, along with all financial transactions.

Montague, of Johnstone Road in Renton, resigned after a discrepancy relating to a cash payment of £690 was discovered in August 2015.

After the association's bank statements were audited, a further discrepancy of £7,085 was discovered.

Mr Paul told the latest hearing on January 5: “She says she hasn't been able to get a job and has had difficulty getting a loan.

“She has managed to procure £1,000, which she has brought with her today, and she says she will have a further £500 by next week. She is getting the money from her family.

“She is trying hard to get a job. She has made drastic cuts to the very bare bone of her monthly outgoings, and is committed to paying back the sum.

“If a job can be obtained, hopefully some sort of loan can also be obtained.”

Mr Paul asked the sheriff to consider deferring sentence for a further spell to allow Montague more time to find a job and to continue with the repayments.

Sheriff Hendry said: “It is to her family's credit [that they are helping with the repayments], but it's not punishing her.”

Sentence was further deferred until March 9.