A brazen fraudster who asked his unsuspecting employers for a reference even though he had already started stealing from them has been given a 26-month prison sentence.

Huddersfield father-of-three Andrew Rangeley kept his previous crimes secret when he got the job of general manager at Bradford-based Shipley Transport Services and in November 2013 their reference was used during a court hearing to help him avoid an immediate prison term for ripping off elderly customers while working for a solar panel firm.

A judge heard today that the 48-year-old’s gambling addiction was the explanation for his repeated offending and his barrister Carl Kingsley indicated that over the years his client had run up losses of more than £50,000.

After Rangeley quit his job checks on his computer revealed that had been accessing online gambling sites.

Rangeley has spent at least £50,000 on online gambling

“He has lost over the years a sum in excess of £50,000 and possibly much more,” said Mr Kingsley.

Bradford Crown Court heard that between January 2013 and November 2015 Rangeley, of Saville Street, Emley, submitted 16 false or altered invoices which led to various amounts being paid into the accounts of trusting members of his own family.

Prosecutor Holly Betke described how Rangeley managed to obtain just over £8,900 during the fraud and the unpaid “invoices” totalled a further £3,174.34.

Ms Betke said none of the stolen money had been recovered and when his offending came to light in 2015 Rangeley resigned from his post at the firm.

Bradford Crown Court

In a victim impact statement managing director David Clarke said Rangeley’s offending had affected the business and there had been a cloud hanging over it during the police investigation.

In November 2013 the reference provided by the firm helped Rangeley to get his nine-month jail sentence suspended for two years during at hearing at Leeds Crown Court.

Rangeley pleaded guilty to three fraud charges when his case was listed for a trial on Monday and today Recorder Andrew Haslam jailed him for 20 months.

The judge also added an extra six months to his prison term after deciding to activate part of the suspended sentence from November 2013.

Recorder Haslam noted that none of the money had so far been repaid to the company and he said the effect on Rangeley’s employer had been substantial.

Rangeley is due to face a further court hearing next year under the Proceeds of Crime Act in a bid to get back some of the money he obtained during the fraud.