Lloyds online security chief is jailed for £2.5m fraud

Southwark Crown Court heard how Jessica Harper, 50, fraudulently took almost £2.5m from the bank over four years from 2007 (PA)

A former head of online security at Lloyds Banking Group who stole millions from her employer at a time when it had to be bailed out by the taxpayer was jailed for five years yesterday.

The court heard how Jessica Harper, 50, fraudulently took almost £2.5m from the bank over four years from 2007 while interim head of fraud and security for digital banking. Harper, pictured right, of South Croydon, Surrey, admitted fraud by abuse of position and transferring criminal property defrauded from her employers. She had told police she deserved the money, given the hours she worked, rising at 5.30am and returning home at 8pm.

She said: "If I went to work for another company I would probably be earning four times as much."

Judge Deborah Taylor told her: "You were a senior employee in a position with a very high degree of trust at a time when Lloyds was substantially supported by a lot of taxpayers' money following difficulties sustained in the financial crises.