Pension man who stole £600k jailed

A 72-year-old crook who embezzled more than half a million pounds from his employers and blew the cash on lavish foreign holidays and Caribbean cruises has been jailed.

Robert Crawford, known to friends and family as Lindsay, stole the cash from Scottish Widows over 14 years. He lost his job at the pensions giant three times but was invited back once because of his expertise as an annuities clerk then rejoined again as a part -timer following his retirement.

Livingston Sheriff Court heard he kept “meticulous” records of his thefts in diaries and folders at his home in Broxburn.

The diaries also contained short entries describing what Crawford did each day, including his lavish holidays.

Deborah Demick, prosecuting, said: “He has taken on average three significant holidays per year since 2002.

“These included a nine-week trip to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand in 2006; two trips to Argentina (2009 and 2014), one to Peru (2005); a number of cruises (Caribbean and USA); two trips per year to Thailand/Indonesia, and a luxury journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway in 2010.

“In addition to these long-haul trips, the accused’s bank statements show regular payments to numerous hotels throughout the UK which appear to be weekend or overnight trips.

“His study displayed photographs and certificates from these holidays including a Virgin balloon flight in 2010, cruises on the MS Queen Victoria in 2013 and 2016 and a crossing of the Arctic Circle in 2005 made by his wife.”

The fiscal said Crawford, of Queens Road, Broxburn, was able to identify policies where payments had been returned or where it was suspected that the policy holder had died and complete cheque requisition forms in respect of these policies.

The court heard: “He would introduce the hard copy of the cheque requisition form into this workload, which would then be unwittingly input by another member of the team.

“The data input on to the cheque requisition form would be authorised, sometimes by the accused Robert Crawford himself, though this data would only be checked against the forms.

“There were no other controls in place within the department. By requesting the cheque be made payable to a financial institution rather than a named policy holder, the accused was able to conceal his involvement from his colleagues.”

She said he had eight bank accounts into which the cheques were paid. The embezzlement only stopped when he was off work through illness or other reason.

Iain Bryce, defending, stressed that Crawford had a previously unblemished character and work record for a long time.

He said: “One does not get the sense that this was to fund a particularly extravagant lifestyle. This was not a lifestyle of champagne and private jets.

“Much of this money was invested and was not spent, that’s how Mr Crawford has been in a position to make full repayment of the sum involved.”

Sheriff Peter Hammond sentenced Crawford to two years in prison, telling him he had brought shame on himself as a result of his dishonesty.

He said:“This was an extremely serious charge of embezzling £600,000 from your former employers over a period of 14 years.

“This was a gross betrayal of the position of trust you held with that organisation which employed you for such a long period of time.

“It appears you were comfortably off and not in need of the security blanket your solicitor mentioned and this was carried out as a result of greed and not need.

“I have come to the only conclusion that the only appropriate disposal for a course of dishonesty over 14 years – a course of embezzlement of over half a million pounds – is a prison sentence.”

The sheriff said he took account of Crawford’s age and the fact that he was “indeed remorseful and ashamed” of his actions.

He said: “I give you credit for repaying the sum you embezzled. That’s an important factor.

“Your course of crime was, it appeared, discovered by chance.

“If you hadn’t repaid it this was so serious I would have remitted the matter to the High Court and the money would have been recovered by confiscation proceedings.”