A CUMBRIAN director of a lettings company in Wigan has received a suspended prison sentence. 

40-year-old Linda Murray, of Ellerthwaite Road, Windermere, was the director of Let Me Lettings based at Hewitt House, Winstanley Road, Orrell.

Murray appeared at Bolton Crown Court on January 8 for her sentence.

She received 20 months in prison suspended for two years, 30 days rehabilitation and she has been disqualified from being a company director for seven years. 

She also has to pay compensation of £3,660. 

She was charged with eight counts of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006. Her company charged landlords for a service that included managing their properties and taking tenant deposits, the court heard.

These deposits were meant to be held in the government-authorised ‘Deposit Protection Service’, which keeps the money safe for tenants.

Ms Murray pleaded guilty to not placing the money into that service and misleading both landlords and tenants.

Wigan Trading Standards, which led the prosecution, received complaints from seven landlords, about nine different properties, with over £6,000 lost due to the fraud.