WHEN pub manager Cara Campbell became seriously ill, there was only one person she trusted to take the reins at work – her best pal of ten years, Carly Stelfox.
The pair were inseparable and had been through everything together, with Carly, 34, even supporting Cara through her marriage breakdown.
Like any close friends they’d enjoyed nights out and weekends away together and were also work colleagues – so when Cara, 49, was forced to take time off after major surgery, she knew she could put her trust in Carly.
With no hesitation she promoted her loyal pal to co-deputy manager at her dad Gerry’s pub, The Queens Arms in Tameside, alongside another staff member.
But over several months, while Cara, from Manchester, was going through the worst time in her life, cold Carly callously stole almost £6,000 from the pub by issuing refunds in accounts in her name.
After realising something was horribly wrong, Cara even checked her own cards – convinced her pal would never betray her.
But it was only when she recognised Carly’s card details that the shocking truth dawned.
She says: “I was devastated, and it left me questioning everything that happened when we knew each other.
“She was my best friend and what she did broke my heart.”
Mum of four Cara met Carly properly in 2014 at a Halloween party at the pub she worked at.
Cara says: “After losing the beloved sandwich bar I owned, my dad Gerry offered me a job behind the bar at his pub.
“He also employed Carly who seemed sweet but we were always on different shifts so I never got the chance to know her properly.
“But at the Halloween party, we got chatting and really hit it off.
“We won first prize in the fancy dress competition and partied until 3am. Despite the 15-year age gap, we had the same sense of humour.”
Cara was going through a tough time in her marriage and Carly became a shoulder to cry on.
Cara recalls: “Soon, the pub – and Carly – became my safe haven.
“When I got divorced, Carly and I went on girlie weekends and to concerts.
“As the years passed, she became my best friend.”
Then, in March 2021, Cara’s health went downhill.
She says, “I started feeling poorly and had constant headaches and stomach pains.
I told my family and Carly straight away, and they rallied round… I felt lucky to have them.
Cara Campbell
“Six months later I went to the doctor for tests but days later my world came crumbling down.
“I was told I had a serious condition which would need surgery and a long period of recovery.
“I told my family and Carly straight away, and they rallied round.
“I felt lucky to have them.
“I was told I’d need at least six weeks off work so I knew I’d need another manager to run the pub in my absence.
“I encouraged Carly to put herself forward and told her I’d be more comfortable if it was her. We trained her up on how to cash up the till and give refunds.
“She was great and after I came back three months later, she stayed on in the role.”
But the following year, Cara noticed she and her pal were drifting apart.
And there was something else that caught her attention too.
Cara says, “I noticed Carly seemed to be going on holidays a lot – Ibiza, Turkey and lots of UK weekend breaks.
“She was always buying new outfits too.
“I wondered where she was getting her money from but I didn’t feel it was my place to say anything.”
Then, in May 2023, Carly asked for an advance on her wages.
When they reeled off the last four numbers of one of the cards that had been used, I recognised it as Carly’s. It was such a huge betrayal.
Cara Campbell
Cara says, “She told me she’d found a flat but money for furniture was tight after paying rent.
“Knowing how generous Dad was, I told her to tell him what it was for and he’d be happy to help.
“I was glad she’d come to me and later, over the phone, I told my partner how it had felt like our friendship was back on track.”
But just hours later, Cara was hit with shocking news.
She says: “Dad called and said he’d had a call from the card machine company informing him thousands of pounds in refunds had been issued to different cards over six months.
“It could only have been Carly or another senior manager who had done it as they had a passcode that had to be entered into the handheld card machine to process refunds.
“We went through the amounts that had been taken.
“The transactions were mostly under £100 but there were so many.
“When they reeled off the last four numbers of one of the cards that had been used, I recognised it as Carly’s. It was such a huge betrayal.
“My dad felt guilty as he’d given her the job, and I blamed myself for putting her up for promotion.
“If she’d needed the cash, we would have given it to her. She’d been very clever, because it had bypassed the till, and she’d kept the refunds under a certain amount.
“When I realised the extent of the theft, my shock turned to anger. She’d fleeced us out of almost £6,000.”
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Police advised Cara to talk to Carly, without accusing her of anything.
Cara says: “When she arrived, I showed her the list I’d compiled of dates with the amount taken.
“‘You’re not accusing me of doing this?’ she asked.
“‘No, but we need to work out who was on shift,’ I said, calling her bluff.
If she’d apologised, we could have worked it out, and I wouldn’t have pressed charges
Cara Campbell
“Her dismissive attitude stunned me. I’d tried to give her every opportunity to confess.
“If she’d apologised, we could have worked it out, and I wouldn’t have pressed charges.
“But when she wouldn’t admit it, I told the police I suspected it was her.”
In August this year, Carly Stelfox admitted theft by an employee at Minshull Street Crown Court and was sentenced to a year and two months, suspended for 18 months.
Cara says, “What offended me more than the theft was her deception and greed.
“She took advantage of me when I was ill, and I’ve been left with trust issues.
“But although I’ve forgiven her, otherwise it would just eat away at me, I’ll never forget what she did.”
