Manager stole pub takings - then tried to blame her boss and colleagues

A manager stole cash from a pub's till then tried to put the blame on colleagues - and even her boss.
Newcastle Crown Court. Picture c/o Google Images.Newcastle Crown Court. Picture c/o Google Images.
Newcastle Crown Court. Picture c/o Google Images.

Lucy Austin, who was being paid £600 per week to manage the Cricketers in Bill Quay, Gateshead, helped herself to over £800 belonging to the bar.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 30-year-old doctored till receipts to try and cover her tracks.

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Austin, of Sexhow Lane, Hutton Rudby, Yarm, Teesside, denied theft and fraud charges, between May and June 2014, but was found guilty by a jury.

The court heard she continued to protest her innocence and, during two trials, tried to blame her boss, her boss's partner, a colleague and even her boss's child for the money going missing.

Mr Recorder Reid told her: "Your offending is aggravated by blaming others for what you did.

"Your behaviour was wicked to start wtih and your blaming other people compounded that wickedness."

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Austin was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with supervision for 12 months.

The court heard jurors at Austin's first trial could not agree on a verdict.

After a second trial she was "swiftly" found guilty.

The judge told her: "The jury rejected your defence, your defence was to blame other people."

Paul Cross, defending, said Austin has health problems and looks after her mother.

Mr Cross added: "She would struggle to cope with a custodial environment."

Austin has never been in trouble before.