Hilton hotel manager convicted for stealing £3,225

A Hilton hotel front-of-house manager has been given a suspended jail sentence after pocketing more than £3,000 in cash.

Laura Chilmaid, originally from Burgess Hill, West Sussex, was the front-of-house manager at Hilton’s Olympia hotel in London. She threatened to quit after bosses wanted to drill her sealed locker open in the hunt for a missing £3,225.

Although she protested her innocence, Chilmaid was convicted by a jury of stealing the sum between 31 August 2007 and 12 January 2008 at the Kensington High Street hotel, according to UK Law News.

The judge presiding over the case sentenced Chilmaid to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, ordered her to perform 70 hours unpaid community service work and pay Hilton £1,000 in compensation.

The trial heard that Chilmaid withdrew her monthly wages in full from her bank account within three to five days of getting paid and had debts of £22,000.

The first-time offender was responsible for a cash float, but repeatedly told supervisors she had "forgotten" her key when asked to open her locker and told the jury the money went missing when she placed it in an insecure area.

Hilton staff had described Chilmaid as a "great manager" who was very motivated and focused at work.

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By Gemma Sharkey

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