Co-op worker denies role in £40,000 discount coupon fraud

Michelle Carson, 43, denies conspiring to commit fraud by abuse of her position as an employee of the store in Wrexham Road, Whitchurch.

Seven other women have admitted their role in the conspiracy said to have happened at the Co-op store between January and December, 2016.

Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said the defendant, of Wrexham Road, Whitchurch, with others, misused member coupons for discount, and it is estimated that the store was defrauded of between £30,000 and £40,000.

He told the jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court that a store of its size would normally scan about £1,000 worth of coupons a year.

But that the same coupons had been scanned repeatedly, and in some cases, laminated, when they should have been destroyed and put in the bin.

Mr Jones added: "Michelle Carson and all these other people were employees of the Co-op and by being employees they had a duty and that was to fulfil their contract of employment, in this case they were abusing that position.

"Co-op issues discount vouchers and Mrs Carson and some others were re-using them over, and over, and over again.

"It was dishonest and abused their position of trust.

"Once the coupon is scanned it should have been binned, but in some instances it had been laminated and used over and over again."

Suspicion

Mr Jones said that suspicions were raised in November 2016 and the Co-op identified three employees in particular who repeatedly used coupons.

He said at the start of January 2016 about £200 a week worth of coupons were scanned, and by the end of the year £2,500 worth of coupons had been scanned. Mr Jones said it was usual for about £100 worth of coupons to be scanned in a week.

Mr Jones added: "More than £40,000 worth of member coupons had been used, of that £30,000 worth had been duplicated.

"Michelle Carson was interviewed and she said it was nothing to do with her, and that other people must have had her till number and logged in as her.

"She was part of this agreement, she was abusing this position and was causing a loss.

"She wasn't spending for herself but when members of staff went to Michelle Carson, she would scan, and multiply scan coupons, knowing it was against company policy.

"The prosecution says there is no need to use other people's tills. Not only did she allow this to happen, she was part of the conspiracy that let this happen."

John Rose, area manager for the Co-op, visited on November 30, 2016, and told staff members he was doing a health and safety audit so they were not suspicious, before asking staff members to search their bags which is when he found coupons.

The trial continues at Shrewsbury Crown Court.