A woman has been jailed for 12 months for stealing £50,000 from a branch of Subway while she was the manager.
Leeds Crown Court heard Emmaline Pearce’s dishonesty only came to light last year after discrepancies were noticed at the Birstall outlet, one of four owned by the same family.
A meeting was held to try and reconcile the figures and it was suggested the only explanation for the sums in the till apparently balancing was if a customer had paid in cash and it had been rung in as a card transaction by a member of staff who had pocketed the money.
David Hall prosecuting said Huddersfield woman Pearce was present at the meeting and when that was suggested she went very red in the face and was visibly shaking.
When a further meeting was held she admitted she had been stealing sums of money for more than two years since 2013.
The police were informed and when she was interviewed she accepted she had taken between £50 to £300 per shift.
She said she had taken money for the first time to pay a bill and did not know where all the money had gone. Mr Hall said a search of her home revealed no level of high living.
Her employer said Pearce had worked for them for 10 years and had been a trusted member of staff.
Ben Campbell representing Pearce said she was of previous good character and had expressed genuine regret and remorse. References written to support her showed she had a vulnerable side and felt deep shame at what she had done.
She blamed greed and stupidity for her actions in the pre-sentence report but could not explain where the money had all gone. “There has been no spending lavishly or leading an excessively material lifestyle,” he said.
She had got another job as a shop assistant and was offering to pay compensation at £100 a month if given the opportunity.
Pearce, 37 of Broomfield Road, Marsh, admitted theft and fraud.
Jailing her, the Recorder of Leeds Judge Peter Collier QC said there had to be an immediate sentence because of her high degree of responsibility in the shop.
He accepted there were good things about her “no doubt that character was recognised by your employer she gave you promotion and when opening a new branch appointed you manager of that shop.”
He said he was also prepared to accept that it was an error in ringing in a transaction which first showed her how money could be taken “but when you realised that nobody had noticed it became a habit.”
The judge said there did not appear to be any explanation such as gambling or drugs as to where the money had gone “it has simply gone on paying for things you have used for yourself and others.”
Although she accepted immediate responsibility “the damage could not be undone.”
