A WOMAN has been jailed after defrauding an Aldermaston hotel of more than £91,000.

Joanne Jordan, 43, was jailed for 22 months after admitting fraud by abuse of position and theft by an employee.

Reading Crown Court heard that the fraud took place between May 1, 2011 and September 4 last year, when she worked as a secretary at The Old Mill Hotel, in Station Road, Aldermaston.

She was a trusted signature for the accounts of the hotel and used her position to write fraudulent cheques for her own benefit.

Jordan disguised the fraud from the hotel owners and their accountant by writing legitimate business details in the cheque stubs.

But her deceit was uncovered and on December 7, 2014 she was charged by Thames Valley Police.

Jordan, of Sagecroft Road, Thatcham, was jailed for 22 months at Reading Crown Court on Friday.

Investigating officer PC Nigel Woodall of Newbury CID said: “The police and the victims are satisfied with this conviction and it is a good result for the hotel owners and the business.

“This was an astronomical amount for an employee to defraud from their employer and whilst there was probably genuine remorse shown by Jordan this was only after she had been caught out.

“The fraud carried on for over three years and the length of sentence Jordan received shows the dim view that the court takes of this type of crime.”