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A former Chelsea employee has avoided jail for defrauding the Premier League club of more than £200,000.
Claire Walsh, 39, assistant finance manager, admitted dishonestly abusing her position between June 8, 2019, and October 23, 2023, to unlawfully obtain £208,521.65 for herself.
On Friday, Isleworth Crown Court sentenced her to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.
The court heard that Walsh used the club’s season ticket exchange system to allow holders who were unable to attend home games at Stamford Bridge to resell their tickets to other members and season ticket holders.
Prosecutor Alex Alawode said Walsh’s duties involved managing manual refunds and that he “created false refunds for tickets that had not been posted to the redemption website”.
He added: “No tickets existed, she just created the refund as if the tickets actually existed on the ticket.”
Prosecutors said the investigation uncovered “an unusually high number of manual chargebacks on credit cards in the defendant’s name and belonging to the defendant.”
Sentencing Walsh, Judge Fiona Barry told the defendant: “This was a clear abuse of trust.
“You held a responsible and trusted position in the finance department and were trusted to handle large sums of money, but you used this position to defraud your employer.”
The judge said it was “significant” that the crime was “motivated by a desire to help a family in distress”.
She added that Walsh had “strong personal mitigating factors” including no previous convictions and “genuine remorse”.
Wearing a black top and jacket, Walsh cried as the probation was read.
Aravod said Walsh, who started working for Chelsea in 2007, told the club when faced with the refund issue that “her mother was terminally ill and she had fallen into debt while trying to support her family”.
The court heard that Walsh was told “she could face disciplinary proceedings at the club or resign immediately, but she decided to choose the latter”.
Joy Dykers, mitigating for Walsh, said the defendant told her there was “no” money left and “it’s all gone”, adding that some people continued to “support her parents”.
Ms Dykes added: “She spent a lot of money on gifts and experiences for family and friends, theater trips and holidays.”
Walsh was also sentenced to a maximum 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid community work.
Chelsea Football Club is not seeking any costs or compensation.
Walsh admitted charges of fraud by abuse of position at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in November last year.