'My wife vanished one day - what I found out next left me devastated beyond belief'

The Jayaprakashs were busy packing for a family holiday to India, visiting loved ones, when wife Hemalatha Jayaprakash suddenly turned to her husband and told him she needed to go out.

She had said she needed to view offices for her new job, after being made redundant from her previous employment. But this was a lie. Hemalatha got into her Land Rover and instead drove from the family's £1 million home in Great Barr, Birmingham, to her court hearing - after defrauding her former boss of £166k, reports The .

The 44-year-old mum of two had been taking her place in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court for several days, having pleaded guilty to fraud and abuse of position. Her husband and two children knew nothing about her crime, and it seems she desperately hoped that by entering a guilty plea, she could avoid a custodial sentence without them ever finding out the truth.

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But on Wednesday, May 21, she was jailed for two years and three months, while back home her worried family wondered where she was. They began searching frantically for her, including visiting in case she had been in a car crash. Speaking to , Mr Jayaprakash revealed how he had even reported his wife as a missing person.

He said his wife's criminal actions were "beyond belief." On the day his wife left and never returned, he recalled: "We were doing our packing, I was aware my wife had applied for another job and she said she had got it."

Speaking of his shock upon discovering a post her ex boss had put on detailing the imprisonment and sentence he said: "We have not been struggling financially."

Mr Jayaprakash added in his interview with : "We had absolutely no idea. My wife didn't need the money and we are trying to find out what really happened, and maybe she was coerced by someone. We don't have any money issues. "

The court heard how his wife had a rental property empire and that her house was worth £1 million. She had worked at city centre-based Northwood estate agents for 12 years but made dozens of illegal transfers from business and client accounts to herself, reports.

At the time of her crimes, she was a personal assistant to the director. She claimed in court she used some of the money to pay her child's school fees as well as helping relatives in India who lost their homes due to flooding.

Nin Rehal, the managing director, said he had been left devastated by her betrayal, having learned she also took money while he was out of the office caring for his dying mother. A £26,000 discrepancy was discovered when Mr Rehal sold the business in December 2023 and the accounts were examined.

It transpired that payments had been made to non-existent landlords to the same bank account, which was revealed as Jayaprakash's account when she submitted an expenses claim. He said her fraud had caused him 'immense' distress and 'devastating' financial losses.

Mr Rehal said he had to release equity from his family home to make ends meet, including supporting his two children at university. He added: "Meanwhile, Mrs Jayaprakash resides in a £1m property, purchased outright in 2018, and benefits from income generated by a portfolio of at least eight rental properties."

In total, Jayaprakash had taken £167,062.68 over 158 transactions between January 2021 and March 2024, reports BirminghamLive. Court recorder Amy Jackson said: "Everything I have read about this lady takes me to the belief she is from an affluent background where she ought not to need to steal to fund a lifestyle and effectively does lead a lavish lifestyle. This was pure greed."

Passing sentence, the judge said: "This was a long-running and significant fraud and abuse of trust." Speaking from their large family property which has several garden sculptures and is named Gleneagles after the luxury Scottish spa retreat, Mr Jayaprakash told that he had checked with family in India and they had not received any money and that his grown up daughter did attend a fee paying school which he paid for.

In court, Samreen Akhtar, defending said: "Her family members are regrettably unaware (of her conviction). She has had no support in terms of these proceedings."

Jayaprakash was told she would serve up to 40 per cent of the 27-month term in custody. She was heard wailing as she was sent down to her cell. A Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing to determine confiscation, costs and compensation was adjourned until August 26.