Staffordshire tyre branch manager took takings to pay for cocaine
A tyre firm's branch manager plundered the takings to pay for his cocaine habit, a judge heard.
Martyn Massey pocketed almost £3,000 belonging to ATS Euromaster instead of paying it in to the bank, Stafford Crown Court heard.
The money was stolen over 12 separate occasions from ATS's branch in Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, between June and August 2012.
Massey, aged 26, of Blenheim Road, Burntwood, who admitted a charge of theft, was given 12 weeks jail suspended for a year and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid community work. He was also ordered to pay £2,964 compensation.
Judge Mark Eades told him: "Those with management responsibility have substantial degree of trust. You were responsible for cashing up and taking the money to the bank.
"Instead, you didn't do that properly, on 12 separate occasions you stole the money you should have banked. It's not an isolated event, made worse once you were caught you didn't admit it, you sought to blame someone else. You did, though come to your good senses."
Miss Jane Sarginson, defending, said the pressure of being branch manager caused Massey difficulties, including difficulties in his relationship. He started using cocaine and initially was able to afford to pay for it out of his wages. He then exhausted his bank overdraft and started taking money from the company to fund his addiction."
