A BUTCHER has spoken of his relief after an employee who stole thousands of pounds to fund an extravagant lifestyle was sent to prison.

Christopher Williams, aged 49, admitted taking £2,533 from Woolliscroft butcher's shop in High Street, Cheadle, between December 1, 2007 and October 4, 2008.

Williams, who had managed the branch, was sentenced to eight months in custody at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday.

Business owner Patrick Stimpson told the Post & Times he was glad an 18-month saga had finally come to an end.

Mr Stimpson, of Foxt, said: "The shop was very busy, but the money was not there. I knew by the amount of customers that something had got to be wrong.

"I went to the police two months before the arrest. They then started to work on the case.

"The management of the shop is now overseen within the family."

Prosecutor Richard Dewsbury told the court Williams was employed by the business as an assistant butcher in the summer of 2006. It was said Mr Stimpson, who also runs a shop in Bucknall, noticed the Cheadle branch was taking less than expected and discovered stock irregularities.

Mr Dewsbury said: "It all came to light when the manager's position at the Cheadle shop changed and Mr Stimpson identified it could only have been an employee who was causing the difficulties the shop was facing. By that stage they were quite extreme – that shop had run up an overdraft of £50,000 with the bank."

Williams was arrested in October, 2008, when he was manager at the Cheadle branch.

Mr Dewsbury said: "In his police interview, it was evident he was living beyond his means and he expected his employer to make up the differences without seeking any authorisation. He was stealing to fund his own lifestyle."

The court heard Williams has two previous convictions for theft.

Williams, of Ivy Gardens, Congleton, pleaded guilty to theft at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court in January this year.

He was not legally represented in court but from the dock he told Judge Granville Styler he regretted the distress he has caused Mr Stimpson and his family.

He said: "I am pleading guilty and am waiting to accept your punishment, whatever it may be, and from then on to get on with my life the best I can."

Judge Styler gave Williams credit for pleading guilty at the first opportunity and said he took into account the defendant's remorse.

But he said he had to have regard to the sentencing guidelines and particular regard to the fact that Williams was the shop manager and was in a position of a high degree of trust.