An accounts manager who stole more than £41,000 from her employer and splashed out on a luxury holiday has been jailed for two years.

Caroline Cleghorn and her husband went on a two-week trip to the island of Phuket in Thailand, costing more than £3,000, at the expense of Kent Flooring Services.

The 53-year-old also used the Lordswood company’s funds to pay a £5,575 tax bill.

Cleghorn denied false accounting involving £31,000, but was convicted last month by a jury. She admitted three offences of fraud.

Maidstone Crown Court heard she was responsible for customer accounts and bank accounts. She would take payments from customers and make them on behalf of the company.

Prosecutor Dominic Benthall said: “In 2012, concerns arose as to the accuracy of her work. An investigation revealed there were significant cash payments missing.

"The company accounts didn’t balance because of missing cash amounts. Following a police investigation, she was charged with a number of offences.

"Inquiries showed money which also came from Kent Flooring Services was used for flights to Bangkok in October 2013.

“Essentially, the defendant and her partner took a two-week holiday with money taken from the bank account.”

Cash would come in from customers but on 43 separate occasions it was not paid into the bank account and could not be explained as an oversight or mistake.

“She took the money,” added Mr Benthall. Cleghorn had paid back £10,691 covering the fraud offences by April 2015. Confiscation proceedings will be held regarding the outstanding amount.

Paul Jackson, defending, said work pressures led to a decline in Cleghorn’s mental health.

He said: “She struggled to cope and became gripped in a downward spiral. She couldn’t explain why she did what she did. She has told me she was not well.”

Judge Charles Macdonald QC said Cleghorn, of Wickham Close, Newington, systematically stole the money and tried to cover her tracks.

“You paid for an expensive holiday, among other things,” he said. “So, it was in breach of a high degree of trust over quite a long period.

“An unattractive defence was run in which others were blamed. One was dead and unable to defend herself.”