The Court of Appeal has granted her leave to appeal against her conviction.

Tapper and former banker Winston McKenzie lost their appeal in February against their convictions for conspiracy to defraud Kingston businessman Bentley Rose and his company, Benros Ltd.

They were each sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after they were convicted in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court in April 2003.

The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeal against the conviction, set aside the prison terms and gave them suspended sentences. They were on bail pending the outcome of their appeal.

Notes of evidence

The appeal against sentence was allowed because the notes of evidence in the case were not completed and sent to the Court of Appeal Registry until four years after the trial. The Court of Appeal held that there was a breach of the appellants' constitutional rights because the requirement for a hearing within a reasonable time was not met.

Tapper, who is former manager of Trafalgar Commercial Bank, was convicted under the Larceny Act of one count of fraudulently causing $2 million to be paid out, while McKenzie, who was formerly employed to Workers Bank (now RBTT), was convicted of several charges.