Boss stole from firm to fund drug habit
Director jailed over thefts that cost 4 employees their jobs
● Richard Turner was fired after it was found he was taking heroin in the office at Perfect Associates Ltd in Hazel Grove
AFINANCE director who cost four employees their jobs after he looted company money to feed a secret heroin habit is now behind bars.
Richard Turner, 36, had been entrusted to hold the purse strings at a plant machinery hire firm and was tasked with improving security over payments to the company.
But within a month of being hired he was diverting money from customers to his own bank account.
Bosses at Perfect Associates Ltd in Hazel Grove, uncovered the scam after Turner was fired when they found he was taking heroin at the office.
Investigations revealed he had stolen a total of £21,514.31 but profit margins slumped by almost £300,000 after senior staff had to spend several months checking financial records. Four staff were subsequently made redundant.
At Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, Turner, formerly of Romiley, now of Prestatyn, North Wales, admitted theft by employee and fraud by abuse of position and was jailed for 27 months.
The court heard the thefts took place between October and November 2017 after Turner was hired the previous September by the firm despite a history of stealing from previous employers.
Juliet Berry, prosecuting, said: “At first he made a good impression and during the first two weeks he made several valid suggestions. But after two weeks he started to become unreliable. He would not turn up for work and when he did he would appear unwell and dishevelled.
“He gave a number of explanations to employers that turned out to be untrue. He was discovered to be doing drugs in the workplace.
“He was suspended and, following a disciplinary hearing, his employment was terminated on December 11, 2017.
“The finance director made some checks and it became apparent that Mr Turner had been creating a number of false invoices and had been paying that money into his own account.”
In a statement, Samantha Snelson, director of Perfect Associates, said: “This has had a huge impact on our business. The company went from yearly profit margins of £290,000 before he worked here to below £9,000 after.
“He slowed down our business and we have seriously struggled financially.”
The court heard Turner had 18 previous offences on his record for theft and fraudulent behaviour relating to previous employment.
Gemma Maxwell, defending, said: “He does not commit these offences out of greed. It is a compulsion, entirely the result of his serious addiction to heroin.
“That drug addiction has blighted his life for 18 years.
“He takes full responsibility and he blames no one but himself. He is remorseful to all those who it has affected.”