A grieving widow caught stealing from the solicitor’s firm she worked for says she acted out of “desperation” after being hounded by bailiffs.
Paula Gray of Lower Road in Faversham stole £1,370.40 from her employer Davis Simmonds & Donaghey (DSD) in Gillingham as a “way out” on two occasions in October and November 2023.

At the 61-year-old’s sentencing at Medway Magistrates Court on January 23, prosecutor Debbie Jones outlined how the offence had occurred.
She said a professional witness had been used by the solicitors and was expecting payment.
But, when the witness said they had not received payment, the firm’s senior partner and co-founded Peter Donaghey, chased the accounts department of the firm which investigated the matter.
The bank statement appeared to show payment had been made but upon closer inspection, it appeared the account name for the witness had been misspelled.
Mr Donaghey began to make inquiries into this and the court heard how Gray had appeared interested in what was going on.