A gym manager with a history of gambling addiction has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after stealing more than £5,000 from her Cardiff employer. Kathryn MacDonald, 44, appeared at Newport Crown Court, where she admitted to theft by employee and multiple counts of fraud, having previously been jailed for a similar offence involving her former employer, a local council.
MacDonald was a trusted manager at B Fit Personal Training Club, located in Roath, Cardiff. Court proceedings heard that, between August 2022 and November 2023, she asked several gym members to pay for their memberships in cash – despite standard procedure requiring card payments. She then diverted the vast majority of these cash payments for personal use, passing only a fraction onto the gym’s official accounts.
In one instance, a gym client handed over £2,400, of which MacDonald transferred a mere £252 to B Fit’s coffers. Another victim was left out of pocket to the tune of £1,207, with just £200 reaching the business. The final sum involved a personal friend of MacDonald, who paid £2,245. Again, the gym only saw £194 of this amount – leaving trust and relationships badly damaged.
The fraud began to unravel when financial discrepancies were detected during routine account checks at the club. A thorough investigation soon pointed to MacDonald, who was then dismissed for gross misconduct. Prosecutor Paul Hewitt confirmed that the total benefit from the fraud amounted to £5,825.
Victims of MacDonald’s actions spoke of their deep sense of betrayal. One individual explained they “felt used and manipulated by someone they considered a friend”, highlighting the far-reaching impact on both personal and professional relationships. B Fit Personal Training Club has also endured significant reputational harm and financial loss as a result.
Court records revealed this was not the first time MacDonald had committed a similar crime. In an earlier case, she stole £48,000 from Vale of Glamorgan Council by diverting council tax payments into her personal bank account. She received an 18-month prison sentence for that offence, underlining a distressing pattern of fraudulent behaviour.
During the latest sentencing hearing, Jac Brown, defending, cited MacDonald’s long-standing gambling problem as a key factor. He said his client had already returned £3,840 and pledged to pay £300 monthly until the outstanding amount was covered. Brown also referenced MacDonald’s health difficulties, following preventative cancer surgery, and her anxiety over returning to prison, particularly given her past employment as a prison officer.
Judge Celia Hughes, handing down the sentence, described MacDonald’s conduct as “an appalling way to behave towards your employer.” She emphasised the especially damaging impact on a small business striving to stay afloat, noting that MacDonald’s actions had led to “substantial losses” for the gym and its community.
This case reignites conversations nationally about the destructive effects of gambling addiction, not only for the individual afflicted, but also for workplaces and communities placed at risk by the resulting criminal behaviour. It also raises questions about the vulnerabilities employers face when employees are suffering from unchecked personal problems.
The court’s decision, resulting in a 14-month prison term, reflects both the gravity of the offence and the need to deter similar acts in the future. MacDonald’s case serves as a cautionary tale – demonstrating that breaches of trust in professional settings can have profound legal and personal consequences.