A WOMAN who conned her employers into thinking she was a qualified barrister then defrauded them of £14,000 has avoided jail.

Charlotte Elvidge, 30-years-old, of Green Drive Cottages, Little Barrington, walked free from court despite failing to meet the conditions set by a judge who deferred sentence on her last year.

Elvidge pretended to be a barrister to get a job as contracts manager with C.E Lifts Ltd of Rodmarton, near Cirencester.

She pleaded guilty last November to four offences of fraud, and one of being an unqualified person claiming to be a barrister.

In December last year the sentence on her was deferred to see if she could get new employment so she could start paying back the £14,000 she defrauded.

But last week, Gloucester crown court heard that she still has no job, and has saved only £200 to hand over to the firm.

Judge Ian Lawrie QC said he was ‘not happy’ with Elvidge because she had failed to comply with his requirements.

“You have not done as asked, and you could have had you put your mind to it,” the judge noted before remarking on the ‘flagrant breach of trust’.

“It easily crossed custody threshold,” he said.

“You are a person of previous good character.

“All of this process was a burden and shock to you.”

The judge imposed an 18 month jail term, suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work.

“It is by the slenderest of margins,” the judge warned her, “I reserve all breaches to myself. I will send you to prison if you breach.”