Man stole £50k from business woman based on the Island during Covid

Liverpool Echo reports from Preston Crown Court

A sixty-one-year-old Lancashire man has received a suspended prison sentence at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to stealing more than £50,000 from an Isle of Man-based business woman.

As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Peter Robinson admitted stealing the money while the victim, Pamela Jones, was stuck in the Island during Covid lockdown restrictions.

The court heard how he'd been entrusted to run a business for her but she was unable to check the accounts as she couldn't travel to England.

Mr Robinson, a potato farmer, had fallen on hard times when his contract with Golden Wonder and Morrisons came to an end in 2018.

He then wanted to buy an equestrian supplies company from Mrs Jones with the proceeds of land he was hoping to sell - they agreed he would take over the business until a sale went through.

They moved the premises which she paid for as well as the cost of setting up a café which he would run.

She became concerned when weekly cash sheets weren't being completed and the size of the amounts which were being deposited.

Part of their agreement was that she would do the accounts from the Isle of Man, where she was based at the time, but she was unable to physically check them as travel to and from the Island was prevented by Covid-19 restrictions.

A large amount of feed stock was unaccounted for.

Mrs Jones reported her concerns to police but despite being arresting Mr Robinson their investigation didn't result in any charges - therefore she launched a private investigation.   

On the day he was due to stand trial Robinson admitted two counts of theft totalling fifty-two thousand one hundred and ninety-seven pounds Mr Robinson   

He was sentenced to 21 months suspended for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation activity requirements. 

A Proceeds of Crime Hearing will take place later this year.