Restaurant worker stole from bosses to fund drug habit

MAN, 31, HAS NOW BEATEN COCAINE ADDICTION

A COCAINE-ADDICTED restaurant worker stole thousands of pounds from two businesses, a court heard.

Dean Williams, 31, was sacked from House Restaurant and Wine Bar in Altrincham ‘because of his behaviour,’ prosecutors said.

He then went back and stole £3,000. After finding work at Frankie and Benny’s in Salford, Williams, who was addicted to cocaine, stole just under £5,000.

Manchester magistrates court heard Williams, who is now clean, stole the money to pay off drug debts – and to buy more cocaine.

Williams then went to live in Northern Ireland, where he found work at another restaurant.

He was arrested after returning to the UK on a ferry, the court heard.

Now Williams has pleaded guilty to two burglaries.

During the first burglary, in December 2017, he used security codes to get into the premises and the safe. Williams also turned off CCTV cameras.

He admitted the offence when interviewed by police, but claimed the total he stole was nearer to £1,700. Months later, in May last year, Williams stole just under £5,000 from the Frankie and Benny’s restaurant, prosecutor Tess Kenyon said. He also admitted this incident, but said the amount stolen was actually about £2,750.

Williams claimed the firm had withheld some of his wages and holiday pay.

He said that after the two thefts, he left and went to live with a friend in Northern Ireland. There, he managed to fight his cocaine addiction and found a job, the court was told.

He was not a ‘fugitive’ and had returned to the UK many times, his lawyer said.

Williams, now unemployed, was taken to a police station and asked whether he was in any trouble with the courts, but was not told anything further.

Magistrates sentenced Williams, of Clooney Terrace, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He must also pay £2,500 in compensation to Frankie and Benny’s and £1,500 to House – and must complete 100 hours of unpaid work and eight rehabilitation activity requirement days.