Caterham receptionist ordered to pay over £9,000 after fraud case
Vanessa Da Silva Alves defrauded her workplace over a six-month period
A woman who admitted to defrauding her employer of £9,400 has been ordered to pay the money back in compensation.
Vanessa Da Silva Alves, a 40-year-old from Montague Drive in Caterham, was sentenced for fraud at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, 20th November.
The court heard that over the course of six months, from June to November 2024, Da Silva Alves was working as a receptionist at a dental practice in Caterham.
During this time, she used the onsite card reader to refund a total of £9,400 to her own accounts.
Her actions were uncovered when CCTV footage captured her using the card machine at the time of the fraudulent transactions.
At Kingston Crown Court, Da Silva Alves was sentenced to a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
She was also handed an electronically monitored curfew for three months and must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.
In addition, she has been ordered to pay £9,400 in compensation by 27th November 2025.