Telford landlord who stole £14,000 spared jail
A 53-year-old man has been spared prison after he admitted fleecing the pub he ran out of more than £14,000.
Robert Williams, who was landlord of the Captain Webb pub in Wellington between May and September last year, pocketed about £1,000-a-week from the business by altering the accounts.
Yesterday at Shrewsbury Crown Court Williams, who now lives in Gresty Terrace, Crewe, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
And he was told he must pay back just £10 after his finances were examined and few assets discovered.
Williams had admitted one charge of fraud and one of theft at an earlier hearing at Telford Magistrates Court. He was caught when bosses at County Inns, which owns the pub in Bagley Drive, became suspicious and ordered fortnightly stock takes.
Mr Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, said Williams had run previous pubs for County Inns and was considered trustworthy.
He said: "They were looking for a manager at the Captain Webb Pub and in May this defendant was moved in.
"He was thought of quite highly."
There were regular deficits in the takings when considered against the amount of stock used, Mr Beardwell said.
The total deficit was £14,320.90.
Mr Beardwell said: "This defendant had reset the till during the day and was able to take £1,000 a week because he was aware of the system."
Mr Michael Sherwood-Smith, for Williams, said his client must have known he would be caught.
He said: "You can paper over the cracks but once a proper look is taken at the affairs of the pub he would be found out."
Recorder Balraj Singh Bhatia, sentencing, said the fact that Williams was unlikely to get another job in the pub trade was punishment enough.
He added: "This was a cynical and determined effort for whatever reason to defraud your employers."
