A “pathologically mendacious individual” who stole more than $50,000 from local businesses will spend two years behind bars.

Luchia Swan, 43, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft, between September and November 2022, when she appeared in Magistrates’ Court at an earlier date.

Swan also admitted signing documents that falsely indicated that the funds, which totalled $54,650.99, had been deposited, and reappeared in court on Friday for sentencing.

During that appearance, the court heard that Swan committed the offences while working as a cash management technician for Guardsman Bermuda, which required her to collect and deposit money from businesses.

Swan first collected $15,519 from a Rubis petrol station on September 2, 2022, followed by $12,520.58 from Price Rite in Warwick on October 17 and $12,531.41 from TravelEdge in Hamilton on October 21.

Swan then took $3,280 from Magistrates’ Court on November 3 and $10,800, also from the court, one day later.

The court heard that Swan was responsible for depositing the money, but she never did so.

Swan denied stealing the funds when first questioned by officers, but later admitted using them to “pay off substantive debts”.

Police then seized $6,000 in cash, as well as some documents, from her home in Paget.

A statement from Guardsman Bermuda, which was read in court, called Swan a “pathologically mendacious individual” who was “unconscionable and self-serving in a work environment that relies on the trust placed in our employees to walk the straight line of integrity and to adhere to all other protocols”.

Cindy Clarke, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said Swan “seeks all possible leniency from the very court she stole from” and requested that she spend two years behind bars, followed by three years’ probation, for the offences.

Swan apologised to the court for her actions before she was sentenced and said she has been thinking of how to redeem herself since the incidents occurred.

Magistrate Maria Sofianos called Swan’s actions “cunning, calculated and deliberate” and ordered that she complete three years of probation once her prison sentence ends.

She also ordered the money seized from Swan’s home to be forfeited.

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