THE "compulsive spender" wife of a procurator-fiscal is facing a lengthy jail term after embezzling more than £600,000 to fund a lavish lifestyle of fancy restaurants, jewellery and clothes.

Donna Shedden, 49, yesterday admitted taking £613,073 from the limousine firm she worked for - Charlton Chauffeur Drive, based in Govan, Glasgow - between March 2007 and February 2013.

During that time, in June 2008, she and her husband William James Mackay, a Glasgow fiscal, were married in Bermuda.

Last night the couple's luxury detached white sandstone villa in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, stood empty. The only sign of life, a "For Sale" sign in the front garden. The four-bedroom property is on the market for offers over £420,000.

Neighbours described them as a "lovely couple".

The court was told Shedden, who was regarded as a "trusted member of staff", had worked with the chauffeur company since October 2003 and worked her way up from a part-time book-keeper to financial manager. She continued to transfer money electronically into her own personal account even when the company hit hard times and was forced to make employees redundant and cut salaries.

She was caught when a ­suspicious colleague investigated her while she was on holiday with her husband in South Africa for a month at the start of this year.

Procurator-fiscal depute Erin Campbell told the court another employee, group financial c­ontroller Iain Watt, became suspicious.

Miss Campbell said: "Mr Watt used this opportunity to look deeper in to the company finances.While checking recent bank payments the accused had authorised he noticed an unusual payment into her personal account.

"He carried out online bank checks for the period of the six months previous.

"In that period he calculated payments amounting to around £60,000 had been made into the accused's personal account over and above her legitimate wages."

The court was told Shedden, who earned £23,000 a year, was electronically transferring sums of money that she was not entitled to.

When she returned from her holiday she was picked up by a limo from her firm and brought to the headquarters under the pretence she was to sign a document.

She was confronted by her boss about the money and admitted the offence. She agreed to pay the money back.

But the court heard she later admitted that she had taken a sum closer to £600,000 and she accepted she could not repay that amount. She gave Mr O'Hara her car, which was sold for £7600.

The police were then contacted and Shedden was later charged.

Miss Campbell said: "Analysis of the accused's bank statement would indicate she had engaged in a lifestyle far in excess of what she ought to have been able to afford."

Shedden was using the cash for credit and store card payments as well as loans.

The court was told she spent the money largely on clothes, restaurants, jewellery and social activities and was described as a "compulsive spender".

It was also heard that, between 2008 and 2009, the firm had problems which led to a restructuring of the company. Four employees were laid off and drivers' wages were cut.

Sheriff John McCormick deferred sentence until next month and told her: "In light of the sums embezzled here a substantial custodial sentence is almost inevitable and you should prepare yourself for that."

Proceeds-of-crime papers were served on Shedden for the Crown to confiscate cash from her and a further hearing will take place.