A former travel expert with a leading firm has been barred from working in the profession after making hundreds of false train compensation claims.
Michelle Hallett, an employee of national firm Osborne Clarke, made 290 false personal claims for travel delay repayment from August 2019 to April 2020.
She had been employed as a travel manager by the firm for three years when the British Transport Police (BTP) got in contact in 2022 to advise it was investigating a member of staff for fraud by false representation.
In January 2023, Hallett was interviewed by the BTP and made a full admission to the offence. She resigned soon after from the firm.
Earlier this year, Hallett pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court to fraud by false representation. She received a community order which included a rehabilitation activity requirement and an unpaid work requirement to be completed within 12 months. She was also ordered to pay compensation of £7,002, a surcharge of £90 and costs of £85.
Hallett admitted to the SRA that she made multiple false claims for travel delay repayment and that her conduct was dishonest.
The regulator accepted she cooperated with its investigation and has expressed insight and remorse into her offending.
It added: ‘Ms Hallett has acted dishonestly and her conduct lacks integrity. She has demonstrated a concerning pattern of behaviour. This conduct was not isolated as she has made multiple fraudulent claims over a period of eight months for financial gain.’
She was made subject to a section 43 order, preventing her from working for any regulated firm without SRA permission, and agreed to pay £300 costs.
An Osborne Clarke spokesperson said: ‘We value honesty and integrity and we take our regulatory obligations very seriously. We have fully co-operated with both the SRA, and previously the British Transport Police, throughout the process. The individual in question is no longer an employee of the firm. The offence was committed outside of work and independent of any Osborne Clarke systems.’
