A TRUSTED manager who stole almost £10,000 from his firm walked free from court after a judge heard he has repaid the money.

John Walker, 31, used takings siphoned from the North Yorkshire engineering company to fund his secret gambling addiction.

His barrister told Teesside Crown Court he started taking small amounts and hoped a big win would allow him to pay it back.

Judge Les Spittle said it was a classic case of chasing the dream, and told Walker: “How you would achieve that, I don’t know.”

Walker worked for TA Services Ltd in Northallerton and effectively ran a division which provided coffee machines and products.

The court heard how he was in charge of telesales, wages, collections, invoices, accounts and the production of delivery notes.

Prosecutor Peter Sabiston said he opened an account similar to that of the business and transferred payments into it over 14 months.

“It was when he was on holiday that it came to light. He was asked where the money had gone, and he could not answer,” said Mr Sabiston.

“It was also discovered he had been paying himself travelling expenses. He was based in the office and didn’t travel anywhere.”

When Walker, of Oak House Yard, Emgate, Bedale, was arrested, he said he had a big gambling problem which escalated last year.

Robin Frieze, mitigating, said Walker, who admitted the theft of £9,159, “deceived himself in the classic way” with his betting.

“He started taking small amounts, thinking he could put it right,” said Mr Frieze. “He was never going to be able to manage it.

He was just too ashamed to come clean about it.”

Walker was given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with supervision and 100 hours’ unpaid work.