York couple who used stolen Asda goods and vouchers to fund holidays and shopping sprees are ordered to repay £737,766

Her partner must also repay £57,766.

Jennifer Ward was jailed for two years and her partner Alistair Lobban for one year after Leeds Crown Court heard they spent money like it was going out of fashion over six years when she was abusing her position in accounts at the supermarket giant.

She enjoyed foreign holidays and a timeshare week at a cottage in the Scilly Isles which cost them around £30,000.

Between 2004 and 2010 their joint spending was “colossal,” topping £320,000 including £157,000 alone on Ward’s Marks and Spencer card.

Ward abused her accounts position at Asda

When police searched the couple’s home at Coppins Farm House, Wigginton Road, York, they found more than £200,000 of ASDA gift vouchers and £30,000 in cash.

They also discovered a hoard of new electrical items, some of which had not even been taken out of their boxes.

Detectives found Asda vouchers, cash and electrical goods at the couple's home

At the same court today, in a Proceeds of Crime hearing, Ward was found to have benefited from criminal conduct by £680,000 and a confiscation order was made in that amount after the court was told she had assets available in that sum. She was given six months to pay, or face four years in prison.

Lobban’s benefit was agreed at £57,766 and a confiscation order was made in that sum for him with six months to pay or face a year and eight months in prison.

Ward and Lobban were about to go on a Caribbean cruise when they were arrested

Recorder Gregory Perrins told the pair: "After today you will hopefully understand the consequences of what you have done."

Financial investigator for North Yorkshire Police Paul Dowsland told the court he went through Ward's accounts after her crimes came to light.

He said of her earning through investments: "What struck me was the sheer volume of what had been accumulated.

"It wasn't just a case of what was going into the account, but it was mushrooming and growing. The overall balance was increasing as well."

Inquiries had revealed the pair had spent £98,000 on entertainment and travel including £3,700 on theatre tickets and more than £50,000 at their favourite hotels, including the Star Castle, also in the Scilly Isles where Ward always asked for the best room.

The couple were about to go on a £4,000 Caribbean cruise had Ward not been arrested in 2010.

Ward, 49, admitted theft and having control of articles for use in fraud while Lobban, 52, was convicted by a jury of entering into a money laundering arrangement.

At the time they were sentenced Judge Tom Bayliss QC said her offending involved a gross breach of trust.

“On the face of it the two of you are a perfectly ordinary couple but underneath it all, the two of you were I am satisfied, both motivated by insatiable greed.”

The couple enjoyed holidays in the Scilly Isles

He said the dishonesty might have started as a trickled but the flood gates had opened on her dishonesty. In addition to their joint expenditure Ward had spent money on clothes, jewellery including £12,000 at one shop in York and collectables, including £5,400 at a shop in Pickering.

The couple had been considering buying a third house in Strensall for £135,000 in cash.

The offences came to light after Ward was captured stealing some cash on a covert camera installed after other staff became suspicious about her lifestyle including the timeshare, regular holidays and her jewellery.

Craig Hassall representing her said she had inherited money and had a good work ethic doing several other jobs while working at Asda but felt she had been given an inappropriate level of trust there.

She was remorseful for what she had done.

Lobban told the jury Ward looked after their finances because she was better with money than he was. He said he had no reason to be suspicious about their lifestyle believing she was a good saver. His counsel suggested his drinking problems had impaired his judgment.

The court was told on December 12, 2012 she had money in bank and building society accounts, shares, bonds, unit trusts and life and endowment policies worth in total more than £670,000.

Detective Inspector Ian Wills (pictured above) of North Yorkshire Police’s financial investigation unit, said: “This was a long and complex investigation which has finally come to an end thanks to the hard work and determination of  Detective Constable Sarah Bullock and Financial Investigator Paul Dowsland.

"Indeed their work was commended as outstanding by His Honour Judge Bayliss QC at the time of sentencing.

“The Proceeds of Crime Act has been used to deprive two dishonest people from their illegal income and has demonstrated North Yorkshire Police’s determination to strip criminals of their ill-gotten gains.” 

Above and below: More of the hoard found in the couple's home