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BA stewardess 'stole £100,000' given to charity by passengers
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent10.11.08
A "despicable" British Airways stewardess who stole thousands of pounds cash that her passengers had donated to a childrens' charity was given a suspended jail sentence and fined £13,000 today.
Gillian Paterson, 36, who worked for BA for 10 years, passed herself off as a "champion" of Unicef and handed out envelopes among passengers to collect unwanted foreign currency to support the charity.
However, rather than handing the money over to the charity, Paterson kept the cash for herself.
She was exposed when she left her car to be cleaned at Gatwick airport and a valet found empty envelopes, meant to contain cash for the charity, in the boot.
A BA source claimed Paterson, of Angmering, West Sussex, stole up to £100,000 over a 13-month campaign, Isleworth crown court was told, but the recorder Angela Morris said: "The court will never know how much money was taken because the money was donated anonymously."
Paterson, who lives in a £220,000 house she inherited from her father, promoted Unicef during flights with a short film.
Ms Morris said Paterson had taken advantage of lax BA monitoring to steal the cash. "To describe these offences as spiteful is an understatement. To describe them as despicable is only fair," the recorder said.
"The Unicef Change For Good Cause collection was meant to improve the quality of life for children. Given you are a lady who has enjoyed a mortgage-free house, a car, a good job and savings in the bank, all things these children can only dream about, it makes your offending much worse.
"It's a total breach of trust. This was a breach of trust purported by you on three separate groups of people."
Ms Morris said Paterson had abused the trust of BA, its passengers and Unicef. She added: "You put yourself forward as a champion for Unicef some five years before these offences came to light so if anyone knew what would be expected of you, you did."
The court heard how passengers would be asked to donate the cash on flights, putting their money into an envelope. The envelopes were then collected and put into a single parcel, supposed to go to Unicef. Alison Barker, prosecuting, said: "These envelopes would be put in a bag and it would be sealed and deposited at the airline crew building. There was no adding up. What was recorded was the depositing of the bag. This lady admits she failed to deposit one of the bags in November last year. But she had done this on a previous occasion a year earlier."
Paterson was caught when she "foolishly and carelessly" sent her car to be valeted at Gatwick while she went on holiday.
Ms Barker said: "In the boot of her car were found quite a number of these charity envelopes with the money missing.
"She had said she did not want the boot cleaned because there were lots of bits and pieces and loose change in there. She had a lot of coins in there and she knew it.
"Work started on the car on 5 December and when the man came to the back seats he was aware of dozens of coins and torn envelopes. He saw they were charity envelopes and told his supervisor."
Rizwan Ashiq, in mitigation for Paterson, said she resigned from her job before being sacked and would find it very difficult to get another job.
Paterson, who was found guilty in October, was given a 50-week sentence that the recorder "very reluctantly" suspended for two years. She was fined £13,000 - £1,000 for each month she offended - and she was also ordered to pay £1,300 costs and do 200 hours of unpaid work.
Reader views (13)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
The legal system is a disgrace for allowing this to happen. Stealing from children and not being sent to prison! Just shows what a good barrister can do for you!
- Jim, Manchester
I can understand your concern about the donations after this Ad, but please be assured it does go straight to the Unicef charity, apart from thankfully rare occasions like this. Your concern is quite understandable and that's another result of this woman's actions, other cabin crew will now be mistrusted, through no fault of their own. Most crew in all airlines (other companies apart from BA do this sort of collection) work hard to raise money for many charities and it's sad to think that her theft will discourage people from donating.
And that did make me laugh Sarah!
- Alan, Manchester
Being a very regular traveller on BA I have given on BA flights. This was premiddaited theft.
It now stop giving .
Chris O'Brien London
- Chris O'Brien, London
Since they can't prove how much was taken, some reasonable amount was necessary. A years wages might have been a bit more appropriate.
So, lets focus on something more substantive, like murderers who get 'life' and are out in 8 years...
- Trunk, US
Guilty yes and lucky to avoid a free trip to one her majesty's luxury prision resorts but what about all the financial gurus charged with managing our money(are we now not charitable institutions) and losing/stealing it, and instead of a fine, community service loss of job etc, its a bonus and an all expenses paid weekend in the country.
- David Wright, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Suspended jail sentence???? Crime pays in the UK.
Think I might take it up myself, as a law abiding citizen, I am being screwed by the system.
- Frank, Home Counties, England
This woman committed a despicable act - it will surely make people very wary of giving for charity again. I certainly won't again.
And the sentence is laughable and certainly won't be a deterrent to anyone else thinking of doing the same.
Her property should be sold and the proceeds given to Unicef immediately.
As usual, the laws in the UK are the laughing stock of the world.
I hope she is never allowed to work on planes again and that everyone who knows her will shun her, which is the least she deserves.
- Wooram, Alicante, Spain
It makes you think twice before giving again,I have given on many occasions.
Italy's ex foreign Minister,Massimo D'alema said that in Italy only the poor go to jail,I beleive it is the same in the U.K.how right he is.
- David Nigel Braham, Milan Italy
Modern day Robin Hood!!
- Muheed Jeeran, Colombo
To me and I would suggest, many other people, this would seem a very lenient sentence for a calculated and despicable crime.
I also cannot understand that for a person possessed of considerable assets, the repayment figure should be such a small percentage of the alleged amount stolen.
The excuse that she will find it difficult to perhaps find another job is laughable.
Either British justice has completely lost the plot or there is more to the story than appears in your report.
- Norman Maton, Christchurch, Dorset, England
I thought you had to be attractive to be a stewardess!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
She stole 100k and got fined 13k and didnt even go to Prison. What a joke. She has a 220k house for gods sake thats paid for!!!!! why couldnt she have been forced to sell that to pay off the money she stole?... absolutely disgusting!!!!!, presume she may have spoken with a plum in her mouth and was let off lightly
- Anon, London
I have always contributed to Unicef when I am on those flights. And have always wondered myself whether they actually go to help children or are they "tips" for the crew. Either way, I am glad my contribution makes a difference to the starving children or to the underpaid/overworked crews
- Ad, London
