A Co Armagh man who used his position as a senior manager within Charles Hurst Limited to de-fraud both the company and fellow employees has been jailed for nine months.
Christopher Baxter – who invented a “web of lies” to try and conceal his offending – will spend an additional nine months on licence when he is released.
The 43-year old father-of-two, from Old Church Lane in Aghalee, admitted a single charge of fraud by abuse of position which amounted to £127,702.25
His offending spanned over a period from January 2017 to September 2021 and mainly involved de-frauding both the car dealership and his colleagues.
Described as a “compulsive gambler”, Baxter used the money to fund this addiction, and at the time he was also using cocaine on a regular basis.
Belfast Crown Court heard his offending included pocketing money that had been given to him for car parts or for work done to vehicles as well as payments made into what co-workers believed was a share savings scheme.
The Crown set out examples including one case where he persuaded a Charles Hurst customer adviser to invest in a workplace share saving scheme.
As she was saving for a house, the co-worker agreed – but instead of investing her monthly £100 contributions, Baxter kept the money for himself.
When the scheme matured, the co-worker pressed Baxter for her investment. Knowing he could not repay her, he instead made up various excuses evetually paying her £950 when she should have been repaid £3,500.
Baxter also de-frauded a body shop technician who made two separate orders for car parts.
Instead of ordering the parts, Baxter kept the money. When the parts didn’t arrive and he was asked where they were, Baxter lied about supply issues.
A senior panel technician at Charles Hurst also fell prey to Baxter. He enquired about ordering a part for his car from a third party and was quoted £375.
Baxter overheard the conversation, told his colleague that he could get the part for £250, was handed the money and was supposed to place the order but instead pocketed the money.
Two months later, when the part still hadn’t arrived, Baxter was challenged by his colleague. He once again lied and said the part had been sent to Dublin by mistake.
He also committed fraud against third parties. This included Baxter arranging for Hurst to carry out work for other business and keeping the payments for himself.
Branding Baxter’s offending as “persistent”, Judge Kerr said throughout the four-and-a-half years, Baxter “invented a web of lies”.
After several issues were raised, Charles Hurst Limited launched an internal investigation and Baxter was reported to the PSNI in December 2021.
His bank statements were analysed which indicated the proceeds of his criminality had largely been used for online gambling.
He also admitted ordering items such as allow wheels and keeping the payments as well as taking receipt books home in order to alter them.
During Wednesday’s sentencing, it emerged that all the money Baxter stole has since been reimbursed by Charles Hurst Limited which Judge Gordon Kerr KC said resulted in the company “suffering the financial loss in this case.”
The Judge said he had considered defence submissions which set out a lack of relevant offending, Baxter’s gambling addiction and the steps he is now taking to address this issue.
But imposing the sentence and sending Baxter to jail, Judge Kerr said “this was a very bad example of a breach of trust”.