Woman jailed for bank fraud

A WOMAN from Oldham has been jailed for her part in a £180,000 bank theft.

Cheryl Barnes (32), of Meadow Lane, Hollinwood, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering offences at Leeds Crown Court. She was sentenced to four months in prison.

Peter Seth (28), of Cowlishaw, Crompton, received a four-month sentence, suspended for two years, for his role in the conspiracy.

They were arrested after Mohammed Tahir (31), who was working for the Royal Bank of Scotland in West Yorkshire, accessed NatWest customer accounts in 2006 and 2007. He arranged unauthorised transfers of money to the defendants, who then withdrew the cash.

Tahir, from Keighley, Mohammed Sarwaz Khan (38), from Bradford, and Saeed Saddique (31), from Keighley, were jailed for three years, 15 months and 12 months respectively for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering offences.