Worker ‘embezzled £200,000’ to fund luxury holidays and Celtic tickets

A family firm is suing its former office manager to win back nearly £200,000 which she stole to spend on foreign holidays and matches at Celtic Park.
Karen Fitzpatrick has already admitted embezzling £55,000 from PBR Building Services in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, in a separate criminal case. She is still to be sentenced. Her former employers, however, are taking civil action to recoup the all of the £197,000 she was initially accused of stealing before she pleaded guilty to lesser charges at Airdrie sheriff court last week.
A spokesman for the business told the Sunday Mail newspaper: “Fitzpatrick was trusted implicitly and everyone thought she was doing a great job. She had quite an extravagant lifestyle. There were holidays in Marbella and New York. She and one of her sons would go to Celtic European games. She had access to the company credit card and abused her power.
“No one can believe that a person so trusted would act like this. It’s unthinkable. She should be accountable for the exact sum taken. We are fortunate as a company that we got through this. Everyone was affected by Fitzpatrick’s behaviour, which was calculated and ­premeditated. It has taken an emotional toll on us. We survived but other small companies might have faced a different outcome.”
Fitzpatrick was caught after she ordered a £1,000 private registration plate for her son’s car using the company’s corporate credit card. Flora McCamley, the prosecutor, told the court last week: “Her responsibilities included banking and dealing with accounts. She had access to the company credit card in order to purchase supplies. In December 2020 a company director received a call from the Clydesdale Bank fraud department about a credit card purchase for £1,000.
“The accused’s home was the delivery address. She denied any ­knowledge of the ­transaction but suspicions were raised. ­Investigations revealed numerous transactions involving sums of money being paid from the company to the accused’s bank account.
“Fitzpatrick’s account was examined and transactions involving Amazon, PayPal, B&Q and Celtic Football Club aligned with the ­transfers from the company’s accounts. She was suspended in January 2021 and in April of that year the matter was reported to the police.”
Fitzpatrick, who had no previous convictions, embezzled between 2016 and 2020, the court was told. She had worked for PBR for 17 years. The spokesman for the company added: “We believe we are a very fair firm, a very good employer, but we know from civil court correspondence that Fitzpatrick has called us liars over this.
“She has never apologised and if she’s sorry now that’s only because she was caught. People like her must be held accountable because if not, they might act in this way again. The court must make an example of her.”
Fitzpatrick will be sentenced next month after admitting embezzling £55,000. Sheriff Siobhan Connelly told her: “This is a serious matter you have pleaded guilty to and I require background reports and a restriction of liberty assessment.”