Admission of guilt
Ashley English, who was employed as the deputy manager of a BrightHouse store in Boston, England, has pleaded guilty to stealing almost £13,000 ($17,100) from his employer to fund his gambling habit.
The thirty-year-old stole the funds between January 19 and February 16 last year. He had been the store’s deputy manager for the previous three years.
Closing up and cashing in
One of English’s duties as deputy manager was to cash up the tills at the end of the day. The money was to be taken from the till, placed in a cash bag and sealed. The funds were then handed over to a courier. English used his position to remove the cash from the drawer and take some for himself.
he had stolen from BrightHouse before but was able to win money gambling and pay it back
During the dates in question, English was taking money from the bags and using it to gamble online. He also placed wagers in local betting shops and used some to fund his bank account. The gambler reportedly owed money to his family as well as credit card companies.
A few days after stealing the money, English admitted to what he had done. He told the manager he had stolen from BrightHouse before but was able to win money gambling and pay it back before anyone noticed.
After admitting to earlier thefts, English asked the manager to take the key to the safe from him. However, the manager refused because the money had been repaid at the time.
Court proceedings
Mitigator Mark Hudson told the court that English had no previous convictions. At the time of the theft, he was spending all his money on gambling. He took the money from BrightHouse for three weeks. Unable to cope with the pressure of his actions, he confessed to his manger and proceeded to tell the police.
Court magistrates stated that English had a high degree of trust in his job and that his responsibility had been breached due to his conduct. He must now attend Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing at a later date.