A former TSB cashier has narrowly avoided going to prison after he embezzled more than £30,000 from the high street bank.
Christopher Rowan, 40, had worked at the Aberdeen St Nicholas branch of TSB for more than seven years when he decided to funnel the cash from one of the bank’s ATMs to his own bank account.
It sparked a massive fraud investigation within the bank and Rowan was identified.
Upon being questioned by the investigators, Rowan admitted to taking the money to pay off a crippling gambling addiction.
None of the £30,000 he embezzled between June and August 2022 has been repaid.
Money had vanished
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAlister told the court that on July 21 2022, a member of staff was made aware of an imbalance on one of the bank’s ATMs.
A senior risk manager was notified and he came to the conclusion that an individual within the bank was responsible for the missing money.
An internal investigation was launched and background checks were carried out into four members of staff, including Rowan.
He was identified as being a potential suspect as he had previously moved from one branch of TSB to another citing money troubles due to some gambling problems.
A senior fraud investigator carried out a financial check of Rowan’s bank accounts and found he had made various cash deposits of several thousand pounds to different accounts in his name.
During a meeting with Rowan, he was asked a series of questions about procedures relating to ATMs and the missing money.
He was quizzed about his personal life, his financial situation and his gambling habits.
Rowan was asked finally if there was anything he would like to tell then, at which point he stated: “It was me” and “I did it”.
Banking career has come to ‘abrupt end’
“The accused explains how he managed to steal the money and explains that he has a gambling problem and that he had spent the money that he stole,” Mr McAlister said.
“He was suspended on grounds of gross misconduct and the meeting was concluded.
“The police were contacted and the accused was arrested and made no reply.”
In the dock, Rowan pleaded guilty to one charge of embezzlement.
Defence solicitor Graham Morrison described the case as a “very unusual situation” as his client was a “40-year-old first offender”.
“Mr Rowan accepts that he is facing a serious charge,” the solicitor said.
He added: “Before this Mr Rowan had had a successful career in the bank, which has now come to an abrupt end.”
Mr Morrison stated that his client had a “very powerful” gambling addiction that “is just like drugs or drink”.
However, the solicitor added that the incident had resulted in him attending Gamblers Anonymous.
“That has saved him, to be honest,” Mr Morrison said.
‘A very serious offence’
Sheriff Philip Mann told Rowan: “This is a very serious offence and there’s no doubt and there’s no doubt in my mind the custodial threshold has been well reached.
“However, you have no previous convictions convictions and have never served a custodial sentence.
“I know I could be criticised for not sending you to custody today, but I can impose orders, knowing that if you breach them then the probability is you will go straight to prison.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Mann made Rowan, of Mugiemoss Road, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with supervision for three years.
He also ordered him to undertake 300 hours of unpaid work and made him subject to an electronic tag for six months.
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