Crooked clerk jailed after stealing over £23,000 from council in four-year scam

An Isle administrative worker has been jailed after stealing more than £23,000 from the council she worked for.
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Katy Fowler, 44, of Cranidge Close, Crowle, pleaded guilty to stealing £23,428 from Crowle and Ealand Town Council between January 1, 2013 and March 30 last year and was sentenced to eight months behind bars at Grimsby Crown Court this month.

Once-trusted Fowler was dismissed from her job on March 31 2017 after 14 years of service. The dismissal followed a period of suspension from duties whilst an investigation was commissioned by the town council into the clerk’s administrative responsibilities.

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Town mayor Debra Middleton told the Bells this week: “Fellow councillors and I feel particularly aggrieved by the criminal actions of Katy Fowler, who was employed as a CiLCA clerk and trained responsible financial officer. These qualifications and training were all funded by our town council, without exception, Katy Fowler was treated with respect during her 14 years employment as a trusted colleague.

“To discover theft of this magnitude from not only this council but mainly the public purse has been a huge disappointment, causing anger, suspicion and continued internal accounts investigations. Even to the point of doorstep arguments between some councillors has occurred, such has been the impact. There is also the affect this case will have on our residents and ratepayers; that their hard earned money has been stolen by such a trusted resident and employee of our community.”

She added: “The grossly irresponsible and criminal actions caused by Katy Fowler will have a lasting unsavoury effect on our small community.

“To this day some of our councillors still feel a sickening demoralising wave of emotion each time this issue is addressed. We take no pride in issuing this statement, but feel strongly that the law and justice will prevail and we will all be pleased to put this very sad state of affairs behind us.

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“We are in discussion with our insurance company and Proceeds of Crime Police department to recover the money stolen by Katy Fowler. At a recent meeting of our council it was agreed that no increase in funding would be passed to the residents of Crowle and Ealand to cover this loss.”