A WOMAN has gone on trial accused of stealing about £5,500 from the private jet aircraft firm which sacked her.

Grace Folan, of Oxford Road, Kidlington, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of theft from Hangar 8 Ltd between April and July last year.

Edward Culver, prosecuting, said the 29-year-old was the “payment controller” at the aircraft management company, based at Oxford Airport in Kidlington, until she was fired on July 4 last year.

The barrister told a jury in Oxford Crown Court yesterday this was because of “concerns about her time keeping”.

He said: “This is a case about theft from an employer by one of its employees.

“The employee who stole from Hangar 8, the prosecution say, is the defendant Miss Folan.

“Grace Folan was employed there and ended her employment on July 4, 2013.

“Her role was to set up and make payments to particular bank accounts.

“The crown say Miss Folan was the payment controller and so was responsible for about 90 per cent of the payments made.

“She was in a position of great trust.”

Mr Culver said two payments intended for the company’s suppliers on April 19 and July 3 were paid into Folan’s NatWest bank account.

A further payment of £2,500 was made on June 12 into the personal account of her then boyfriend Jon Mahon, who has admitted handling stolen goods, he added.

The barrister said: “None of the monies taken have been paid back.

“And to this day she has yet to say specifically who made the payments into her account or why.”

The trial continues.

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