Former Bank Cashier Avoids Prison After £30K Gambling Theft

A former bank cashier suspected of stealing thousands of pounds to fuel a gambling addiction narrowly avoided prison time.

The Cashier Didn’t Have a Criminal Record

The case involves a 40-year-old Aberdeen, Scotland resident with the initials C.R., who used to work for TSB. Despite being with the bank for nearly a decade, at some point, the man allegedly started to steal money. The former cashier’s actions resulted in the theft of £30,000 ($38,900), a report from Press and Journal reveals.

Considering that the man was identified following an investigation, he previously pleaded guilty to one charge of embezzlement. Once his actions were uncovered, the man admitted that he was pushed into the unlawful actions due to a crippling gambling addiction. A piling gambling debt pushed the 40-year-old resident into embezzlement, but his actions did not go unnoticed.

During the sentencing of the former TSB cashier, Sheriff Philip Mann pointed to the seriousness of the man’s actions. While Mann acknowledged that the 40-year-old reached a “custodial threshold,” he did point that the man had no previous convictions for unlawful actions. Sheriff Mann added: “I know I could be criticized for not sending you to custody today, but I can impose orders, knowing that if you breach them then the probability is you will go straight to prison.”

Instead of a prison sentence, Mann imposed a community payback order on the 40-year-old man, along with three years of supervision. As a result, the former bank cashier will have to complete 300 hours of unpaid work. In addition, he must wear an electronic tag for six months. Still, the man was able to avoid prison time. Usually, embezzlement can be subject to a penalty of up to a year in prison and a fine of up to £10,000 ($13,000).

The Man Admitted to His Actions

Losses for the bank resulted in an internal investigation. Several suspects were identified, and the Aberdeen resident was on that list. In total, some £30,000 ($38,900) went missing between June and August 2022. During the investigation, the 40-year-old man was asked a series of questions. However, at the end of that interview, the man admitted: “It was me. I did it.”

Graham Morrison, the solicitor defending the former bank employee deemed the situation “very unusual,” considering that his client was in his 40s and that was his first such offense. He pointed to the former cashier’s successful career at the bank that has come to “an abrupt end.”

Describing the actions of his client, Morrison said that he was pushed into embezzlement due to a gambling addiction. The defense solicitor added that his client attends meetings with Gamblers Anonymous.