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Worker stole cash to play roulette
AN accounts worker who stole nearly £1,700 from his bosses to gamble on roulette has been spared jail.
Financial controller Mark Esdaile diverted 1,690 belonging to South Shields manufacturing form Air Liquide to his own account and blew it at
casinos.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the 27-year-old felt so guilty he resigned from the firm within days, and handed himself into the police two months later.
Prosecutor Jayne Hastings told the court how Esdaile's dishonesty had gone undetected until he made a late-night phone call to the police.
Miss Hastings said: "He told them he had stolen money from his former
employer, and wanted to confess.
"The officers took him to the police station, and he confirmed he had put money into his own bank account and gambled it playing roulette in the casinos."
Esdaile, of Meadow Terrace, Herrington Burn, Houghton-le-Spring, admitted theft.
Mr Recorder Jonathan Sandiford sentenced him to a community order for 18
months, with 12 months' supervision and 60 hours' unpaid work.
The judge told him: "What is unusual in your case is you have been
extremely remorseful.
"Unlike many people who steal and steal again, you resigned from
your own employment, as you felt guilty within days of the offence.
"Then, having got away with it, two months later you phoned the polie to
confess what you had done.
"Had you not done that the offence probably would have remained
undetected."
The court heard Esdaile's employers had been happy with his work at the
firm, and were surprised by his sudden resignation in May this year.
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Weather for South Shields
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
