Francisca Yawson, a former employee of the Diocese of Westminster, was given a suspended sentence of two years in prison on 6 February at Southwark Crown Court, following a conviction for nine counts of theft totalling nearly £100,000, committed between September 2018 and August 2019.
The Diocese of Westminster reported the incident to the police and other statutory authorities after the missing funds were discovered, in line with our established procedures. We have been deeply disappointed by the length of time taken to bring this case before the courts. After the investigation was closed by the police, the Diocese continued to press for the matter to be reconsidered, and the case was subsequently reopened.
The Diocese takes seriously its responsibility to steward the donations entrusted to us. This incident, through the deliberate and repeated subversion of our established procedures, represents a gross breach of trust.
In response, the Diocese reviewed and strengthened its operational processes, governance arrangements, and oversight of Gift Aid claims to ensure insofar as possible that such an incident cannot occur again. We continue to pursue full recovery of the monies lost.
We remain committed to maintaining robust financial controls and to rebuilding the confidence of our parishioners and donors. Anyone who may suspect financial or other misconduct involving any diocesan employee, office, or other setting is encouraged to make a report to the diocese or to the police.
