A long-serving cashier who was jailed after stealing from her firm has now been barred from the legal profession.

Rachel Wilson joined Liverpool firm E. Rex Makin and Co in 2008 and became chief cashier at its successor practice, Liverpool Legal Services.

In August 2024, when Wilson was on annual leave, another member of staff who was filling in for her found irregularities with payments from the firm’s office account.

Wilson had initially been found to have recorded payments made to consultants used by the firm and diverted around £13,500 to bank accounts in her own name.

A further investigation by the firm found she had transferred around £200,000 from the firm’s office account to her bank accounts over four years. She admitted stealing money from the firm and was sacked in September 2024.

She later pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced last June to 26 months in prison.

During her sentencing hearing, the Liverpool Echo reported, it was revealed that the then-43-year-old mother of two had made nothing from the fraud and had used the money to fund her husband’s drug addiction.

Recorder Mark Ainsworth said: ‘It is clear that you were taking this money not for high living or anything of that nature. You were faced with a difficult situation and sought to deal with it in this dishonest way. A distinction must be drawn with somebody taking this money to buy expensive designer clothes, go on holiday or buy expensive cars. You were using the money in different circumstances to try to alleviate the pressure on you, and I bear that in mind.’

Wilson was made subject by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to a section 43 order, which prevents non-solicitors from working for any firm without permission. She must also pay £600 costs.

Meanwhile, Aminata Pungi, a former legal secretary with international firm Latham & Watkins, has been barred from the profession after stealing money.

In March last year, Pungi was convicted of fraud by abuse of position after she made unauthorised transfers from the personal bank accounts of an individual for whom she was working into bank accounts held by her. It was reported at the time that Pungi, from Surrey, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with no compensation order.

The SRA said this was an abuse of her position of trust and involved dishonesty. She was given a section 43 notice and ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s £600 costs.