Manager stole £73k from Newcastle firm to play online bingo
Saturday, April 13, 2013
By Sentinel Reporter
ADMINISTRATION manager Elizabeth Sutton stole more than £73,000 from her employer to fund her online gambling addiction.
The 55-year-old took £73,566.30 from Newcastle-based Camelot Automotive between December 1, 2009 and August 25, 2011 and spent it playing bingo.
Elizabeth Sutton pictured outside court before being sent to prison for theft
The theft placed the future of the company 'in jeopardy' and meant Sutton's colleagues were not given pay rises for two years, Stoke-on-Trent Crown court heard.
Prosecutor Timothy Harrington told how the car components company, which had 11 employees, was set up in 1979 by Trevor Hampson and in 2005 he employed Sutton as the administration manager.
"She had the sole care of the company's finances," he said.
"From December 2009 until August 2011 the defendant, instead of paying the companies to whom monies were owed, paid herself. She used two bank accounts and paid significant amounts into her own accounts. She spent the money gambling, mainly playing bingo."
The court heard in 2010 Mr Hampson became aware £40,000 had not been paid to a company in Portugal.
At first he thought it was a technical error. But investigations were conducted by two banks and in 2012 it became apparent Sutton had been stealing the money.
But she had stopped stealing the cash in August 2011.
Sutton, of Tiverton Road, Bentilee, pleaded guilty to theft.
Mr Harrington said: "Mr Hampton felt betrayed by the defendant and the trust he gave her, and the company and the staff gave her.
"The employees have had no pay rises in 2012 or 2013 and the directors have had to inject their own money to boost cash flow. The company is surviving on a month to month basis."
Robin Lichfield, mitigating, said Sutton's husband works abroad for several months a year and she has no friends or family in Stoke-on-Trent.
He added: "She started playing bingo on the web and became addicted to that.
"She was initially using her own money, then money from the company on the basis she would repay it but was never able to. It was an escalating cycle she got herself involved in."
Mr Lichfield said Sutton has gained a new job which she would lose if she was jailed.
But Judge David Fletcher jailed Sutton for 20 months.
He told her: "This theft has had a considerable effect on Mr Hampson, his directors and your former colleagues. They have been prevented from having any pay rises for the last two years and their jobs were severely prejudiced and put at risk."
Judge Fletcher added: "When you are sitting in that prison cell, think about the effect you have had on your former colleagues, just because you wanted to engage in a whim of your own by gambling."
Read more: http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Manager-stole-pound-73k-play-online-bingo/story-18695046-detail/story.html#ixzz2QMvdaBUX
Elizabeth Sutton pictured outside court before being sent to prison for theft
The theft placed the future of the company 'in jeopardy' and meant Sutton's colleagues were not given pay rises for two years, Stoke-on-Trent Crown court heard.
Prosecutor Timothy Harrington told how the car components company, which had 11 employees, was set up in 1979 by Trevor Hampson and in 2005 he employed Sutton as the administration manager.
"She had the sole care of the company's finances," he said.
"From December 2009 until August 2011 the defendant, instead of paying the companies to whom monies were owed, paid herself. She used two bank accounts and paid significant amounts into her own accounts. She spent the money gambling, mainly playing bingo."
The court heard in 2010 Mr Hampson became aware £40,000 had not been paid to a company in Portugal.
At first he thought it was a technical error. But investigations were conducted by two banks and in 2012 it became apparent Sutton had been stealing the money.
But she had stopped stealing the cash in August 2011.
Sutton, of Tiverton Road, Bentilee, pleaded guilty to theft.
Mr Harrington said: "Mr Hampton felt betrayed by the defendant and the trust he gave her, and the company and the staff gave her.
"The employees have had no pay rises in 2012 or 2013 and the directors have had to inject their own money to boost cash flow. The company is surviving on a month to month basis."
Robin Lichfield, mitigating, said Sutton's husband works abroad for several months a year and she has no friends or family in Stoke-on-Trent.
He added: "She started playing bingo on the web and became addicted to that.
"She was initially using her own money, then money from the company on the basis she would repay it but was never able to. It was an escalating cycle she got herself involved in."
Mr Lichfield said Sutton has gained a new job which she would lose if she was jailed.
But Judge David Fletcher jailed Sutton for 20 months.
He told her: "This theft has had a considerable effect on Mr Hampson, his directors and your former colleagues. They have been prevented from having any pay rises for the last two years and their jobs were severely prejudiced and put at risk."
Judge Fletcher added: "When you are sitting in that prison cell, think about the effect you have had on your former colleagues, just because you wanted to engage in a whim of your own by gambling."
Read more: http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Manager-stole-pound-73k-play-online-bingo/story-18695046-detail/story.html#ixzz2QMvdaBUX
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