THE treasurer of a charity is facing jail for embezzling more than £62,000 to fund a gambling addiction.

Karen McCormack, 49, a former Glasgow City Council employee, took money from the South Glasgow Childcare Parternship Forum (SGCPF, which runs the Bookbug programme in Glasgow on behalf of the Scottish Book Trust.

She stole the money on different occasions during a 14-month period when she was in charge of the account.

She was rumbled when another volunteer paid a cheque into the account and noticed discrepancies.

She confronted McCormack who confessed “I took the money”.

McCormack from Rutherglen, South Lanakrshire pled guilty to embezzling £62,250, a crime branded “shameful” by the sheriff, between April 2016 and June 2017.

The court heard McCormack was employed by Glasgow City Council inspecting nurseries and volunteered with the charity as their treasurer with responsibility for the account.

Procurator fiscal depute Deborah Carroll said: “The embezzlement had a significant impact on the finances of the charity.

“At the time of the reporting it was unclear whether the charity had the finances to continue.

“They had enough money to continue until March.

“They have been able to secure funding, so it can continue.”

On June 23 last year, another volunteer paid a cheque into the bank and requested a statement.

She noticed a number of discrepancies with large number of payments having been withdrawn by the accused for events which had not happened.

Miss Carroll said she confronted McCormack and said “Please don’t tell me this is what I think it is.”

McCormack confessed that “I took the money” and said “I’m so sorry”.

She explained she was using it for online gambling and didn’t know how to tell her.

The charity account showed 65 transactions when money had been transferred to McCormack’s account and used for gambling.

It was heard there has been no repayment yet.

Defence lawyer Neil Kilcoyne said McCormack had taken money for gambling.

He said: “She had taken further sums in the hope she would win so that she could repay.

“But, obviously that didn’t occur.”

Sheriff Johanna Johnston QC deferred sentence for reports and continued McCormack’s bail.

She said: “You have pled guilty to a crime that’s really shameful.

“To take money from a charity is a particularly difficult crime for the court to deal with.”