A pub worker tried to make a quick profit by lending nearly £6,000 of its takings to a regular, York magistrates heard.

When the drinker failed to return the "loan" on time, Alastair William MacGilchrist, 23, lent him £1,000 more, said prosecutor David Garnett.

But the owners of The Red Lion pub, Merchantgate, York, called in police after they noticed £7,429.49 had gone missing.

MacGilchrist, of Upper Hanover Street, off Leeman Road, pleaded guilty to two charges of false accounting.

Magistrates adjourned his case for a pre-sentence report.

Mr Garnett said MacGilchrist was in a position of trust.

On May 8, he gave £5,692 from the till to a pub regular on the understanding it would be returned "within a relatively short time" at a profit.

When it wasn't, he handed over £1,002 more "on the basis that would enable his profit to be realised," said Mr Garnett.

On each occasion, he altered the pub's accounts to make it look as if it had been banked.

But by May 21, the company's accountants had spotted a loss of £7,629 from the books and MacGilchrist was arrested on May 22.

For MacGilchrist, Nicholas Darwin said he was acting as pub manager between the departure of one landlord and the arrival of another.

"Effectively, he was conned because a person came to him saying 'I know where I can buy a motor car at £5,000 and I know where I can sell a motor car for £6,000'," said Mr Darwin.

The other person had taken the £5,629 for the car deal saying he would return it the next day, plus £1,000 which the pair would share between them.

But the next day, the regular did not return the money, saying that although the deal had fallen through, he had another deal which needed another £1,000.

MacGilchrist had handed over £1,002 more.