An administration assistant who set up a fake client account and embezzled £1.5 million out of her employer, a scrap yard which processed old cars and other metals, is facing a jail sentence.

Since she started working at the company, Panda Rosa Metals in Aberdeen, she channelled funds into the account but eventually suspicions were raised about her lifestyle.

Despite being on an administration assistant salary, Coleen Muirhead had begun taking expensive family holidays, bought two static caravans, cars and motorcycles and funded her son's wedding, Edinburgh High Court was told.

After a colleague reported their suspicions in 2021, a senior partner in the scrap company reviewed company records and noticed that funds were down, and staff were unable to find much recent paperwork about a particular client.

However advice notes in old files had a reference number identifying Muirhead as producing the documentation.

Further investigations matched the mystery client's account details with Muirhead's back account.

Muirhead, aged 55, of Farquhar Road, Aberdeen, was later interviewed by police and admitted embezzling money from her employer.

Defence solicitor advocate Kris Gilmartin told the court: "It is acknowledged a custodial sentence is inevitable."

Our digital products