Over a year after a cancer-faking fraudster was jailed for syphoning almost £2 million from her employers to set up and fund her overtly luxurious lifestyle, a Proceeds of Crime Order has finally been granted.

However, while Julie McBrien (47, also known as Hogg) of Screeby Road, Fivemiletown ran up the extortionate amount, her confiscated property and assets fall well short of what her victims are owed.

The major abuse of trust almost brought her employers, Cookstown-based Northern Mouldings Limited to the brink of collapse.

Her criminality involved manoeuvring herself into fully controlling the company finances, then creating false bank statements, forging a former employee’s signature, countersigning cheques to herself, and generating fraudulent invoices.

In a disturbing twist, McBrien confided in a company director claiming to have cancer, securing time off to continue her opulent lifestyle without interference.

When arrested, she admitted everything, claiming the money was spent on holidays, with “nothing to show for it”.

But while she was being interviewed, specialist police searched her mansion and uncovered jewellery, designer clothes and other evidence of extravagance in the plush property.

Forensic examination discovered a lifestyle spend of just over £141,000; general expenditure of £360,000; property development and interior design totalling £667,000; fashion and beauty at £231,000 and £145,000 on jewellery.

A prosecution report found her to have: “The ability to manipulate for her own ends and all assessments are based on her own assertions.”

She was handed a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence, which she failed to have overturned on appeal last month.

The case took almost six years to reach sentencing, throughout which McBrien was cloaked in anonymity, having threatened to self-harm if identified.

She latterly extended this threat to avoid prison, ultimately without success.

Judge Brian Sherrard told her: “You were given preferential treatment after claiming to have cancer. You authored that lie and benefited from it … You had no consideration for anyone affected by you. Your offending was borne out of avarice.”

When the sentencing exercise completed in November, 2021, a Proceeds of Crime Application began which also proved slow and difficult.

After numerous hearings at Dungannon Crown Court without substantive movement, prosecution counsel indicated no further delay would be tolerated.

The court was reminded of the defence claim at sentencing that McBrien’s house was on the market, which enquiries swiftly revealed was untrue.

It’s built on land “gifted” to McBrien by her parents, whose property is adjacent.

Her father, Walter Hogg, has registered an interest relating to a small area of land on which the house stands he estimates to be worth £10,000.

The mortgage company is also seeking to recoup their funds; however, while McBrien’s estranged husband previously indicated an interest, he has since withdrawn.

A financial investigator confirmed he forensically examined McBrien’s accounts and property, including taking into consideration her home and grounds, various property held in storage and her jewellery which is currently lodged with an auctioneer awaiting clearance to sell.

Even at this late stage, McBrien remains uncooperative and the investigator appointed in respect of the jewellery said: “I sought authorisation from her legal people on several occasions and I received no reply.”

Had this been agreed ahead of the hearing, some funds at least could have been repaid to the victims McBrien abused.

The investigator informed the court the amount sought by way of compensation is just shy of £1.9 million.

He estimated the recoverable amount of assets to be in the region of £673,000, although it was stressed this is an approximation and takes into account the equity in McBrien’s house.

Judge Sherrard ordered her house and assets to be confiscated, and the sum of £1.86 million accurately amounted to the victims’ loss. However, the recoverable amount of £673,000 is the available compensation amount.

The judge concluded: “Payment is to be made by February 23, 2023, and the default period for failure to so will be seven years’ imprisonment.”