Shrewsbury pub chef stole staff tips and charity cash

Brian Isaac plundered the safe at Shrewsbury's The Brooklands Hotel, which contained money in plastic tubs collected for charity and tips given to staff.

The court heard he carried out the theft in a desperate bid to pay off mounting debts.

Despite his "dire financial position", magistrates at Telford opted to punish him for the offence with a fine so he could pursue plans to join the army.

Isaac, 28, of Connynger Crescent in Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, admitted theft from Margaret Phillips when he appeared at Telford Magistrates Court.

Mrs Kelly Crowe, prosecuting, said Isaac had worked for Mrs Phillips for six years at two different pubs before committing the offence on October 31 last year.

She said there was a large safe at the pub which all staff had access to, which had two plastic tubs inside it for charity donations and staff tips.

On November 2 last year the landlady, watching back CCTV recordings, witnessed Isaac taking money from the boxes on two occasions, the prosecutor said.

She said the boxes should have had £1,000 in them in total – but one only had £75 and the other £92, with £833 missing, the court heard.

Mrs Crowe said: "Matters were reported to police, the defendant was interviewed and made full and frank admissions that he had taken the money."

Mr Paul Nicholas, for Isaac, said: "My client had significant financial debts and was in a dire financial position.

"He had previously been employed by this lady for six years and was a trusted person.

"He got into a highly unfortunate position and he didn't know what to do.

"He had bailiffs banging on his door and red letters coming through his letterbox warning him he was going to go to prison.

"He decided to take the money. He shouldn't have done it and he fully intended to pay it back."

Mr Nicholas said his client currently had two jobs – as a chef in one restaurant and an assistant chef in another – and had reduced his debts, made up of old mobile phone and catalogue bills, to around £3,500.

He said Isaac had applied to go in the army but his application was pending the result of the court hearing.

Telford magistrates fined him £170 and also ordered him to pay the government victim surcharge of £20 and court costs of £125.

Isaac must also repay all the money back to Mrs Phillips by way of compensation.