U2 bassist’s PA gets seven years for embezzlement
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 9 July 2012
The former PA of U2’s Adam Clayton was jailed for seven years on Friday after being found guilty of 181 counts of theft from the bassist’s bank accounts over a four year period.
As previously reported, Carol Hawkins, who had worked for Clayton for seventeen years, embezzled 2.8 million euros once she was given access to the U2 man’s bank accounts, using the cash to buy holidays, designer clothes, cars and education for her children, and no less than 22 horses. The theft came to light after Clayton discovered the PA had booked 15,000 euros of personal flights to London and the States on his account.
Hawkins maintained her innocence throughout the trial which, Judge Patrick McCartan said, had an impact on the sentencing, convincing him a sizable custodial sentence was required.
According to the BBC, he told the court: “Nothing, frankly, could explain away the scale of this dishonesty other than the greed in pursuit of a lavish lifestyle that was no responsibility of Mr Clayton’s. If given an opportunity to commit a similar crime in the future, I am not entirely confident the defendant would resist. Whether she was a fool or clever person really matters very little”.
Clayton did not attend the sentencing, but subsequently told reporters that he was pleased with the outcome, and thanked his legal team.