Restaurant manager arrested for fraud after four years on the run

A Midlands restaurant manageress who went on the run to Spain for four years has finally been jailed for a £20,000 fraud.

Sarah Hunt, 34, from Tamworth, skipped bail in 2004 while awaiting trial for defrauding a shopping centre restaurant in Solihull and a leisure centre restaurant in Nechells by stealing takings.

She was discovered living on the Costa del Sol when her face appeared on a Crimestoppers Most Wanted poster.

West Midlands detectives then contacted her asking her to return home voluntarily but when she refused she was arrested by Spanish police.

Hunt was jailed for 14 months at Birmingham Crown Court, although she was not ordered to repay the money.

After the case detective chief inspector Simon Wallis of West Midlands Police Economic Crime Team, said: "This lady had abused the trust of her employer and stole a substantial amount of money. She was happy to leave a cloud of suspicion over other employees at the restaurants and skip bail to Spain."

By Andrew Smith

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