Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 news 22/12/08 Sentenced Durham bursar to face reclamation hearing

A woman who stole almost half a million pounds from the Durham University college where she worked as a bursar, funding five years of extravagant spending on the proceeds of crime, was sentenced this week to three years imprisonment for theft and for converting criminal property into goods and other items.

Over five years, Christine Starkey made almost 200 transfers from the accounts of St Chads College into her own bank accounts, and spent much of this on clothes. She also admitted that, in buying the clothes, she had committed offences under money laundering law.

As the trial began, the universitys vice-chancellor said, Although Christine Starkey was not a university employee we have worked very closely with St Chads and our other recognised college, St Johns, to ensure their financial systems are completely robust.

However, the theft, fraud and deception involved in her activity leave the century-old college facing an uncertain financial future, holding less in endowments than has been stolen, and fearing the withdrawal of funding.

Her lawyer argued that she was suffering from a mental illness, causing her to spend it on absurd items in the pursuit of happiness. However, he was forced to concede that some had been spent on the womans mortgage and an extension to her house, now sold. The funds from this sale have been frozen until a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 sets the amount that will be reclaimed from Starkey.

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