Gambler racked up £1,000 bill on company phone
A production supervisor who backed a loser by using his firm's phone to gamble was starting a ten-month prison sentence today.
Allan Clarke, who had been employed by BMI Engineering for six years, ran up a bill of more than £1,000 in five months ringing gambling websites, a judge was told.
The 39-year-old resigned on the spot after being called in to discuss the racket that was discovered in April last year, revealed Mr Andrew Wilkins, prosecuting.
Soon afterwards bosses at the Halesowen firm uncovered another fraud being operated by him, continued the lawyer.
Clarke had ordered more than £4,300 worth of power tools in the company's name but had kept and sold them himself, added Mr Wilkins, who also disclosed that the defendant had a previous conviction for a carbon copy offence.
In March 2010 he was jailed for a year after stealing £30,000 worth of components from the business he worked for at the time and pocketed just £2,000 by selling them for scrap.
Mr Exdol Mitchell, defending, said Clarke's wife had left with their children for a week when their 14-year marriage hit trouble before she returned with an ultimatum that he stop betting.
Mr Mitchell explained: "He was depressed and regrettably sought comfort in gambling by putting an app on his work mobile phone."
Clarke was also £6,500 in debt and was accused by Judge John Wait of not being honest when giving details of his finances and work record.
The defendant from Beech Avenue, Halesowen, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft by an employee and was jailed by the judge who said: "First you used your company phone to gamble and then went on to use their money to order power tools which you sold yourself.
"This was a serious breach of trust and your position is significantly aggravated by your previous conviction for a similar offence.
"You have also been unable to give a clear and obvious account of your finances."
