Bank manager Ania Wadsworth walks free from the Old Bailey
Published: 5 February 2010
by DAVID ST GEORGE
A BANK manager who fell for a door-to-door salesman and stole nearly £1million for him has walked free from the Old Bailey.
Ania Wadsworth, 28, regularly left her branch with bundles of notes she should have put in cash machines. She was in the clutches of crack cocaine addict Keith “Junior” Preddie and gave the “gangster” a fortune over five years, the jury heard. She was in tears as she left court when the jury panel accepted that she acted dishonestly but while under duress.
Preddie, 30, of St John’s Way, Archway, convicted of laundering £145,000 of stolen money, was described by Mr Sallon as “a man of violent and sinister disposition”. Judge Richard Hone, QC, will sentence him on March 5.
Miss Wadsworth went undetected for so long by “cooking the books” and switching funds around. She denied theft charges and cited being pressured.
Preddie denied money laundering.