Citizens Advice Bureau worker embezzled more than £30,000 from the charity due to personal debts

Carole Ferguson, 60, was employed as a financial officer with the Citizens Advice Bureau when she began transferring thousands of pounds from the organisation’s bank account into her own.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told Ferguson was employed by the charity and was responsible for the finances and had access to the bank account at the branch in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

Fiscal depute Cheryl Porter said: “During her employment there the accused began to make payments into an account of her own from the charity’s account. This was covered up with false expenses. Over the liable period that amounted to £35,000.”

Carole Ferguson outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court | Alexander Lawrie

Ms Porter said financial discrepancies were noted in November 2020 and as a result an internal investigation was conducted and it was found she had been “making several payments to her own bank account”.

Ferguson was asked to produce invoices but the court heard she was “unable to provide them” and her employment was terminated. The financial officer made a full admission to charity bosses at a subsequent hearing claiming she had been struggling with her finances.

The court heard police were contacted and officers attended at her home where she was said to have “spoken freely” during the interview in February 2023. Ferguson, from Prestonpans, East Lothian, admitted to officers she had taken the money due to suffering from debts and that her partner was unaware of her crimes.

Lawyer Mary Moultrie, defending, said her client suffered from a number of health difficulties and had sold her house in March 2023 to fully repay the stolen funds back to the charity.

Sheriff Matthew Auchincloss granted Ferguson bail during a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday and deferred sentence for social work reports to be prepared to next month.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to embezzling £35,000 while working as a financial officer at the Citizens Advice Bureau, Musselburgh, East Lothian, between January 29, 2015 and January 22, 2019.