A Banchory supermarket worker has admitted to embezzling cigarettes and money from his workplace.
David Stewart was working as a customer services assistant at the town’s Morrisons when employers became aware of stock discrepancies totalling more than £22,000.
Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court the 54-year-old admitted to embezzling both cigarettes and money totalling £760 from the store while working there between July 1 and July 27 last year.
However, there was confusion when fiscal depute Lydia Ross told the court the total value involved was £22,107 and that there was no recovery of the items of cash.
However, after seeking further investigation from the Crown and investigating police officers, she later confirmed: “The Crown’s position is that the value is unknown.
“The CCTV in the shop has recorded 12 incidents in which the accused has taken the money or product. The stock count revealed a discrepancy of approximately £22,107 as stated earlier.
“The Crown contacted the police to ask for more information and their position was that an exact value couldn’t be given.
“The accused admitted to taking money and goods but couldn’t recall individual instances.”
Discrepancies in the case
She said the actual stock discrepancies spanned from September 30 2020 up to March 21 2021 but “that’s not the dates that have been libelled”.
She added: “The instances where CCTV footage shows the accused taking items is between July 1 and July 22 last year.
“The accused admitted in his interview a figure that is a rough calculation – £760.”
She highlighted further discrepancies in the case whereby the CCTV footage was only examined by Morrisons staff as far back as July 1 2021 – despite the stock discrepencies dating back to September 2020.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said he would find it difficult to sentence Stewart given the uncertainty over the amounts involved.
“The problem I have is that the Crown doesn’t accept the figure that is taken during the four-week libel period. They say they don’t know.
“At the end of the day, I am not convinced for the purposes of sentencing I can say it’s only £760 … only that’s the figure he accepts he took.”
Ordered to get saving for now
He asked Stewart if he was in a position to save and pay back £760 should the court order him to do, to which Stewart, representing himself in the dock, immediately replied: “Certainly, your honour”.
The sheriff told him: “I am going to defer sentencing for you to be of good behaviour and for you to be in a position to pay £760 to the bar officer at the court on the next calling of your case.
“Depending on that, a sheriff may make a compensation order for that £760, the amount you agree you embezzled, or they may order another penalty as well.”
He suggested Stewart, of Kinneskie Road, Banchory, may wish to appoint a solicitor before his case recalls in three months’ time.
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