A lettings agency manager stole nearly £140,000 from her company to help clear her son’s drug debt.

Wendy Dare, 57, is now in prison after siphoning off company money when she and her late husband Fred moved into rental accommodation as part of their efforts to pay off the debts.

Over more than four years Dare transferred the cash into various personal accounts including those in the name of her late husband and also one of her children.

She then arranged for the company – Humphreys in Chester – to make scores of payments totalling £33,000 for properties leased by the couple’s daughters.

According to multiple newspaper reports of the case, Dare’s lawyer Peter Barnett told Chester Crown Court: “[Her son] came to his mother and father for help when people were demanding money from him and making threats to him and his family. Stupidly they assisted and helped him and ended up losing their home and went into rented accommodation.

“The money was taken in dribs and drabs and she was not aware of the effect on the company. She left due to plans to move out of the area and relocate. She now finds herself alone before the court dealing with this matter. 

“[Her late husband] Fred Dare was interviewed at the same time she made full admissions but police determined that she was the one at fault.  He did not know what was going on. She had hidden it from the family. The first time he knew about it was when asked to go to the police. She is under no illusion about the seriousness of this matter.”

Dare has been jailed for 28 months after admitting fraud by abuse of position. She will now face a Proceeds of Crime hearing. 

Her husband’s funeral took place earlier this month.

You can read a detailed report on the court case here.