£291,000 Shropshire fraudster has jail term cut
A jailed Shrewsbury accounts manager who stole almost £300,000 from his employers and spent it on a deposit for a new home and luxuries including a fish pond will repay less than half.
Geoffrey Wilkes also had his three-year jail sentence reduced to 12 months, allowing him to be released early.
Wilkes, of Telford, was jailed after admitting a string of fraud offences and converting and concealing criminal property.
He had worked for Isis Furniture, of Ennerdale Road, Shrewsbury.
At a proceeds of crime hearing it was revealed that Wilkes benefited to the tune of £291,898 and had already repaid £70,000.
The town’s crown court heard his remaining assets included two vehicles, cash seized by the police and a bank account realising a total of £41,332.
Judge Jim Tindall made a confiscation order for the £41,332 which will go towards compensation to the victims.
Wilkes, 63, of Viscount Avenue, Aqueduct, was jailed last September after anomalies were discovered when the family-owned business, which makes bespoke furniture, called in accountants for an annual review.
When Wilkes was sentenced, Mr Philip Beardwell, prosecuting, said he had breached his employer’s trust.
The court was told that he used money he defrauded from the shop to buy a long list of luxuries.
Mr Beardwell said: “In total there were 60 fraudulent payments.
“When accountants went to his home address to ask him about the discrepancies he said he had been ‘cooking the books’ to cover his own debts.
“Most of the money had been used for his own expenses.
“He was interviewed by police and admitted he had taken the money to cover his debts.
“Then he continued to defraud the company and put a deposit on a house, bought two cars, gave gifts to his wife and children, bought decking and turfing for his garden, bought furniture and installed a £3,000 fish pond complete with fish at his home.
“He also had a ‘nest egg’ of savings.”
The offences took place between December 1, 2014 and January 1, 2016.
At the latest hearing Mr Adrian Roberts, mitigating, asked the court to reduce Wilkes’ sentence because of the money he had paid back, allowing him an early release.
Judge Tindall said that the prison term would be reduced to 12 months.
