Former bank employee Deirdre Anne Graves sobbed as she was given a one-year sentence for stealing more than $300,000 from the Bank of Butterfield.

Her lawyer Alan Dunch had argued that his client should be given up to 1,000 hours of community service or a suspended sentence.

He also said that if she was sentenced it should be a ‘short-sharp-shock' as recommended under the Alternatives to Incarceration programme.

But Crown counsel Charmaine Smith told the Supreme Court that the mother of two should be incarcerated immediately because when Graves committed her crimes she was in a position of trust.

Justice Norma Wade-Miller said she had taken the arguments made by both counsels into consideration and also those of a psychiatrist, but decided that the best course of action would be an immediate term of imprisonment.

Graves, 48, of St. Anne's Road, Southampton, was a former vice president and head of the bank's treasury department when she stole a total of $325,200.10 between June 15, 1999 and February 27, 2001.

Graves had removed money from floating accounts and gave it to friends and family members before their loan applications were processed.

In the May arraignments session, she had pleaded guilty to 11 indictable charges of fraud, which included amounts which ranged from $11,000 to more than $50,000.

Graves, who was convicted by her own admission, had fully cooperated with the authorities once she was exposed.

When asked if she had anything to say, Graves cried as she read a statement to the court.

She said when she committed the crimes she was depressed and was getting over her second marriage.

She also said she had financial difficulties and had stress-related pressures from her job.

“I know what I did was wrong,” she said before apologising to the court, the Police, the bank, her family and friends for the embarrassment.

“I fully co-operated with the bank and the Police during their investigation.

“I believe that I have made good progress.”

Mr. Dunch said that because the bank had been paid back in full and because Graves had assisted with the investigation the bank was not “really a victim”. Mrs. Smith, however, argued the bank was a victim because of her position and the amount of money that was stolen.

The court heard how Graves directed her subordinates to place money into her account and into those of her relatives and friends.

Graves said her actions were only temporary loans and “the money was and would be paid back” once that person received the loan that they had applied for.