A FORMER assistant general manager of a social club who misappropriated almost $560,000 was jailed for 40 months on Friday.

Ang Chiew Yan, 44, pleaded guilty to three charges of embezzling a total of $471,518 from the Singapore Swimming Club between 2003 and 2006.

The money came from the Tanjong Rhu club's jackpot operations.

Ang joined the club in 1998 as an assistant accountant, and during her tenure, was promoted four times.

She had been the assistant general manager since March 1, 2006.

A district court heard that she was suspended from duties on May 31, 2006 but the suspension had nothing to do with the criminal case.

She was dismissed the following month.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Der Lim said after she started work in the SSC, she led a lavish lifestyle and started spending more than she earned.

As a result, she incurred large amounts of credit card bills and started relying on credit facilities from various banks.

Faced with mounting bills, she dipped her hands into the cub's funds to pay off her credit card bills and amounts owed to her credit facilities.

She misappropriated a total of $99,437 in 2003; $67,903 in 2005 and $304,172 in the first five months of 2006.

Her lawyer, Mr N. Sreenivasan, said due to increasing debts, she succumbed to temptation and used the club's money to pay her bills.

He urged the court to treat the case at the low end of the law as she had made unsolicited restitution even before the offence was discovered.

Ang, who is married with no children, had three other charges, including forgery, taken into consideration.

She could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each CBT charge.