A SHOP owner in Fairbourne has expressed her dismay that a member of staff who stole more than £5,000 was not jailed.

At Caernarfon Crown Court last Thursday, Catherine “Nici” Lloyd-Jones received a suspended 14-month sentence after she stole thousands of pounds in cash and scratchcards from Fairbourne News’ owner Cathryn Walford.

Cathryn, who had previously lent money to Nici so she could buy her own car and regarded her as a “very good friend”, was shocked that someone she thought she knew so well could commit crimes with such ease.

“Just looking at the CCTV of Nici you’d be amazed how smooth she was, it looked so natural,” Cathryn told the Cambrian News.

“For example, on her 21st birthday she was working for a few hours. We’d got her a card and a one litre bottle of her favourite vodka for her to celebrate.

“When we weren’t there, she looked in the card, saw there was no money and then just took £85 straight from the till and put it in the envelope. I watched the tape back later on. I was completely gobsmacked.

“We didn’t know what to think. We had always looked after her, she was the youngest in the team and seemed so nice.

“When I was working long hours trying to find out why our money was disappearing, she used to come in and offer to look after the shop so I could go get some rest. I was grateful to her.

“Turns out her hand would just be in the till again.

“It’s been a really tough time for me and my manager Sally Friswell. This has really changed the way we look at things.

“I thought it would be easier once she was sentenced, but we were really hoping for a custodial sentence. It seems to me the court was very lenient. I’m gutted she didn’t go to jail.”

Read the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News, in shops now