$140,000 rip-off by restaurant manager

$140,000 rip-off by restaurant manager

A restaurant manager created an elaborate scheme so he could steal nearly $140,000 from his employer to feed his gambling addiction.

Vijay Singh, 30, was sentenced in Tauranga District Court yesterday to 21 months behind bars after earlier pleading guilty to one representative charge of theft.

In early 2008, Singh was working as a maitre d' at the Tauranga Lone Star Restaurant and in April that year was promoted to manager.

But he quickly betrayed that trust.

Between 2008 and the end of August last year Singh stole $139,112 from the restaurant's takings after devising a system where he would create a fake table number and transfer the cost of patrons' meals to that table.

He then deleted the cost of the meals so there was no trace when he cashed up.

Singh told police he was under stress and had a gambling habit.

Crown prosecutor Hayley Booth argued for a jail sentence of between two-and-half to three years before discounts for his guilty plea and any mitigating factors were allowed.

Ms Booth said not only had Singh's employer suffered a loss, as there had been no offer of reparation, but could still have to pay tax on what was stolen.

"I don't accept there has been any remorse shown other than what is inherent in the guilty plea.

"There has been no letter of apology handed to the court nor any offer by the prisoner to make amends," Ms Booth said.

Ms Booth said the victims had turned down Singh's offer to participate in a restorative justice meeting because they were yet to receive an apology from him despite three meetings and Singh was disputing how much he had taken.

Singh's lawyer Vicki Scott argued for home detention and urged the judge to take into account her client was a first-time offender and had a gambling addiction.

"This offending is characterised by someone with a gambling addiction.

I accept Mr Singh's culpability is affected by the frequency and the amount stolen but his offending was not motivated by greed, nor was he living a lavish lifestyle.

"It was offending to feed a gambling addiction," she said.

Mrs Scott asked the judge to also take into account Singh had banned himself from more than 50 gambling institutions around the city before he was charged and was making good progress with his problem gambling counselling sessions.

Singh's pregnant wife and her young son would suffer greatly if he was not there for them, she said.

Earlier this week, Mrs Scott went to the High Court at Rotorua to try and stop the Bay of Plenty Times taking a photograph of her client citing concerns about Mrs Singh's health. The Bay of Plenty Times argued its case and won the right to photograph Singh in court yesterday.

Judge Louis Bidois told Singh he had almost crippled the victim's business and significantly impacted on its future viability.

The judge said while he was prepared to accept there was some remorse shown by him, it would send the wrong message to the community if Singh was granted home detention.

"I know it is going to be a hardship for yourself and your wife and family but that is the consequences of your offending," the judge said.