Employee who took cash escapes jail

A FINANCIAL employee who swindled more than £3,000 from his customers has escaped jail.

Phillip Cartwright was in charge of cash loans at his work for Provident Personal Credit, but began using his customers' repayments to pay off his own debts, Peterborough Crown Court heard.

The 35-year-old would even pocket cash rewards meant for customers who had settled their loans early.

Cartwright, of Vicarage Close, Cowbit, near Spalding, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, four counts of fraud through abuse of position and three charges of deception.

In total he stole £3,190, though that had reduced to £2,178 after he paid some money back to the company he had worked for
since February 2003.

The court heard he had taken the cash in a bid to pay off the £10,000 of debt he had built up with his wife. He had sold his car for £750 and was using that money to pay back the Provident.

Judge Patrick Moloney QC passed a two- year prison sentence for each of the counts, suspended for two years. Cartwright was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attend a five-day debt and financial workshop. He is paying all of the stolen money back at a rate of £80 a month.

Judge Moloney said: "It's a very unpleasant crime. The court is sorry to see a man of good character give way to temptation.

"It's a dreadful thing to rob the people you were working with, they were poorer than you and you were taking £50, £100, £200 from them.

"I could easily send you to prison for two or three years if I wanted to. I hope this will be one stupid mistake."

News Source:
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/