A 33-year-old Suffolk woman has been charged with defrauding a playgroup out of £17,000 while as its treasurer.

Gemma Pearse, formerly of Waterloo Road in Leiston, has been charged with two counts of fraud. 

Pearse is accused of fraud by abuse of position that whilst treasurer of Knodishall Playgroup,  cash and bank transfers were embezzled to the value of £17,000 between January 1 2017 and March 17 2022.

The second charge includes that between January 1 2017 and March 17 2022, accounts were falsified.

The 33-year-old is due to appear before Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Friday, January 26.