Co-op man gives back stolen cash (From Gazette Series)

Co-op man gives back stolen cash

A STORE manager in Sharpness who stole more than £36,000 of takings will not be subject to a financial investigation, Gloucester Crown Court heard on Monday.

Michael Purcell, who worked as manager of Sharpness Co-op from October 2003, spent much of the cash on school fees for a niece and equipment for his Scout troop.

He had even used some of the money to employ an extra member of staff at the store without putting her on the books.

But since being caught, Purcell, 30, of Whitecroft, Nailsworth, had borrowed the entire stolen sum from his parents and repaid the Co-op in full, the court was told.

David Chidgey, prosecuting, said he no longer wanted to proceed with an application to confiscate Purcell's assets.

"This is simply because Mr Purcell repaid the money he took from the Co-op," he said.

Julian Kesner, defending, said: "I am grateful for the common sense approach taken in this case."

Purcell, who had been committed to the crown court by Stroud magistrates to be sentenced, had admitted seven charges of theft and seven of false accounting.

On January 21 this year bosses were concerned at the high level of cash apparently being kept in the store and sent loss prevention officers to collect it.

They found no cash in the shop and contacted Purcell who said he had it at home. But when they met him in Nailsworth he admitted he had stolen it.

Later, Co-op accountants established that the total amount stolen by Purcell was £36,262. Purcell had been earning £23,500 a year as store manager.

At a previous hearing the court heard that was also very close to his 26-year-old sister and that he had spent the money on helping pay for his niece's school fees and buying equipment for his Scout troop.

Purcell was ordered to do 240 hours community punishment work and to pay court costs of £150.

He is no longer working for the company and the Co-op declined to make any further comment.