First driver sold off bus tickets at pub
Peter Birch, from Longshaw Avenue, Bradwell, was given a suspended sentence yesterday after pleading guilty to 10 fraud offences against his employer.
He appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court in Fenton alongside another former First employee, Deborah Harrop, aged 43, of Moorhouse Avenue, Alsager.
She pleaded guilty to three offences of committing fraud by false representation, namely using a fraudulent weekly bus ticket intending to make a gain for herself.
Paul Moore, for the prosecution, said the crime had involved a memory device carrying sales data which was given to all drivers. At the end of the shift, drivers took it to the cash office, where it would disclose the day's takings.
He said on July 31, police were called to Newcastle Bus Depot because it was believed Mr Birch had been using one of these machines fraudulently.
Examination showed it had been used to print tickets between June 23 and July 25 to a value of £1,118.
Of the fraudulent tickets, £926 had been used at the Crewe depot and £192 at the Newcastle depot.
Mr Birch said Harrop had given him the equipment. She had been a employee of First in Crewe from December 2007 to April 2008.
He said she was supposed to return the equipment after she left employment, but they had struck a deal that she would hand it to him as long as he posted a weekly bus ticket through her home address. He would sell the remaining tickets in the local pub, making no more than £60 a week.
Harrop said she had met Birch in June 2008 through her job. She admitted giving him the equipment, but said she believed he was going to return it on her behalf.
She said she had used three fraudulent weekly tickets in July 2008 because she was short of money and late with her rent.
Heather Drew, defending Birch, said he had been £90,000 in debt from a previous marriage and had a gambling addiction.
He said: "He was in a deep hole spiralling into debt and Miss Harrop suggested a way to make a bit of extra money."
Jason Holt, defending Harrop said: "She is not supporting a lavish lifestyle and is a hard worker. Within days of handing her notice in, she started working at another company. I would suggest a supervision order would help her work through her problems."
Birch was given a four-month prison sentence suspended over 12 months.
A 12-month supervision order was also imposed and he was ordered him to pay £118 compensation and complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
Deputy district judge Anthony Smith-Jones said: "I have listened to the facts and taken account of your clean character and lack of previous convictions. You also pleaded guilty very early.
"However, I have also taken into account that it was a breach of trust and that is a serious matter."
Harrop was given a three-month suspended sentence for each of her three offences, a 12-month supervision order and ordered to complete 75 hours of unpaid work and pay £45 compensation.
Mr Jones added: "I have looked at your previous convictions. They are all matters of dishonesty. I feel nothing other than a custodial sentence can be justified."
