Council worker jailed for £28k theft
Published 31 Jan 2011 09:30
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A CLERICAL assistant who embezzled more than £23,000 from Scottish Borders Council to pay for his gambling debts has been jailed for six months.
Ross Nichol stole the money over an 18 month period to cover the losses he had run up betting on horses, dogs and football matches.
The 25-year-old used his position at the local authority to take the money by writing cheques of sums varying between £250 and £1250 and placing them into a separate account he had set up.
Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that the embezzlement came to light during a management review of the council's sports coaching network.
Depute fiscal Mark Keane said Nichol returned to work from a period of annual leave and was asked to attend a meeting with the head of the local authority's education department. He added that the accused told the meeting he felt a sense of relief that everything came to light.
Mr Keane explained: "He said he did it because he had long-standing gambling debts. He was placed on special leave and the police were called."
The court heard that Nichol had managed to run up gambling losses of between £25,000 and £30,000. Defence lawyer Robert More said his client was a first offender and the sum involved had been repaid in full by his parents.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond said he was taking into account Nichol's previous good character and that the money had been repaid in full.
But he added: "The amount involved, the period of time involved and the breach of trust, the disposal sadly has to be a custodial sentence."
Sheriff Drummond said he would have imposed a nine month jail sentence but gave the maximum discount due to Nichol's "absolute candour over his dishonesty" and reduced the prison term to six months.
Nichol, of Nether Blainslie, near Lauder, pleaded guilty to taking £23,775 over a 20 month period between January 2009 and August 2010.
The offence was committed while he was working as a clerical assistant at Scottish Borders Council's headquarters in Newtown St Boswells.
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