Boss who stole £90k from own bank for a life of luxury is jailed
A BANK manager who stole almost £90,000 from his own branch to fund a luxury life style has been jailed for nearly two years.
Gordon Irvine helped himself to the money from the back of a cash machine – and enjoyed such a high-rolling life that co-workers thought he had won the lottery.
He even took money from the bank to put into the account of a customer who complained about a £25 bank charge – giving her £250 before sleeping with her that night.
Irvine’s lawyer described the crime as ‘the craziest embezzlement you will ever come across’.
The crook simply took the money from the back of an ATM in Dundee before either spending it or paying it straight into his own Santander account using self-service machines.
Irvine’s lawyer told Dundee Sheriff Court that he ‘still protests his innocence’ despite a jury convicting him – with a sheriff telling him he had been a ‘ trusted’ employee and that jail was the only option.
Brazen Irvine, a father-of-two, paid for trips to New York, Lanzarote and Rio de Janeiro in cash – but wasn’t even able to take the trip to Brazil because he couldn’t get time off work.
He also paid for a £6,900 car, a year’s rent and council tax in cash, fitted his flat out with a pool table and three 50-inch TVs.
And in one incredible stunt Irvine told a customer who complained about a £25 charge she was ‘beautiful’ – but said he didn’t think he’d be able to do anything about it.
That night he called her and told her to ‘check your bank account’. When she did she found a £250 credit courtesy of Irvine who then asked if he could come round to her home.
The woman said yes – and began a sexual relationship with the thief that night.
One former colleague who asked Irvine if he had ‘won the lottery’ was told to check his account by the thief and found a £5,000 deposit there.
Irvine was caught after security staff emptying the ATM noticed huge cash discrepancies and launched a probe.
He was frogmarched off the bank’s property when he was suspended in June 2013 and resigned the following month. Investigators found £41,000 in his bank account and his accounts were then frozen.
Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told the jury: ‘It is no coincidence the bank lost £89,000 during this time and £41,000 was found in Mr Irvine’s account. It is no coincidence that the losses end when he leaves’
Solicitor advocate Jim Laverty, defending, said: ‘The actions of Mr Irvine were suspicious – I accept that. But not enough to prove beyond reasonable doubt. If this was an embezzlement it is the craziest embezzlement you will ever come across.’
Irvine, 33, of Broxburn in West Lothian, denied a charge of embezzling £89,340 from the Santander branch in Lochee, Dundee, between November 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011.
A jury of nine men and six women took one and a half hours to find him guilty by majority.
Mr Laverty said: ‘He is a family man with a strong work ethic and a custodial sentence will have an impact on his family.’
But Sheriff Alistair Carmichael jailed Irvine for 22 months.
He said: ‘The gravity of this offence leads me to the conclusion that a custodial sentence is the only appropriate option.’
Irvine glanced at family on the public benches but showed no emotion as he was led in handcuffs to the cells.
‘Losses end when he leaves’