Jacqueline Greenslade, the daughter of a deceased man whose bank account was plundered by a trusted Halifax cashier, has expressed outrage at the court’s decision to spare the culprit from jail.
Jan Olivier, who worked at Halifax for 17 years, admitted to stealing thousands of pounds from elderly customers in Dorset to cover his £30,000 gambling debts. Olivier’s fraudulent activities were uncovered following the death of Edward Teggin, 89, who was struck by a car in June 2022. While managing her father’s estate, Ms. Greenslade noticed suspicious discrepancies in his bank statements, revealing that Olivier had transferred £5,000 from Mr. Teggin’s account to another account he had previously stolen from.
Olivier, 42, managed to hide his thefts by transferring funds between dormant accounts to replace the stolen money. When the fraud was detected, Olivier was suspended, but he hid the truth from his family, pretending to go to work daily for six months. The court was told that he has since repaid the stolen money and is receiving treatment for his gambling addiction and debts.
Olivier was charged with four counts of fraud and one offense under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act. Despite the severity of his crimes, he was not sentenced to prison. Recorder Eleanor Hourigan cited Olivier’s repayment of the stolen funds and his genuine remorse as reasons for imposing a 24-month community order instead of jail time. His sentence includes 180 hours of unpaid work, 15 rehabilitation activity days, and 12 mental health treatment sessions. Additionally, Olivier was ordered to pay £2,284 in compensation to Halifax.
Ms. Greenslade, in her 60s, expressed her dissatisfaction with the court’s decision: “It’s absolutely despicable, I cannot put it into words. There is no justice. My dad was very careful with his money, and he would have been turning in his grave if he knew what was going on.” She emphasized that her father, Mr. Teggin, a great-grandfather, trusted Halifax and was diligent about managing his finances. Ms. Greenslade hoped for a harsher punishment for Olivier, feeling let down by the justice system and the bank.
The discovery of Olivier’s fraud prompted an investigation, which uncovered additional cases involving approximately £17,000. On July 5, 2022, a customer in her 80s withdrew £200, followed by a fraudulent withdrawal of £2,500. Olivier then withdrew the same amount from a dormant account to cover his tracks, changing the customer’s phone number on her bank profile to avoid detection.
Further incidents were uncovered, including one on November 9, 2021, involving two withdrawals from a customer’s account, one legitimate and one fraudulent. In March 2022, Olivier took £5,000 from another elderly customer and another £4,000 six weeks later, eventually depositing large sums into his own account before attempting to cover up the theft by transferring funds from other accounts.
Olivier, originally from South Africa, moved to England in 2003 and was considered a man of good character prior to these offenses. His defense argued that he is now receiving help for his gambling issues and has shown remorse for his actions.
The decision to spare Olivier from jail has sparked debate on how the justice system handles cases involving financial fraud and vulnerable victims. Ms. Greenslade’s personal investigation into her father’s finances and her subsequent discovery of Olivier’s deceit highlights the importance of vigilance in managing and safeguarding elderly relatives’ financial affairs.
The case has raised concerns about the adequacy of financial oversight and the protection of vulnerable customers in the banking sector. Halifax has not commented publicly on the specifics of the case but has cooperated with the investigation. The decision not to imprison Olivier remains controversial, particularly among the victims’ families, who feel justice has not been adequately served.
