Bridging surveyor’s employee jailed

23 March 2012

A year-long fraud committed by a finance manager who worked for bridging
surveyors has resulted in a 20 month jail sentence after the employee was found
guilty of stealing £102,000 from the firm, Goodman and Matthews LLP.

Earlier this year, B&C reported on the case of Gavin Sutton, who pleaded guilty to
"siphoning" £100,000 out of his clients' accounts into his own. 

The surveyors, who work with top bridging lenders, became aware of the fraud after
the company's computer system crashed and an account manager who recovered
computer data saw evidence of the fraud. By this time, Sutton had already left
the firm.

Sutton, 34, of Grundy Street, Westhoughton, transferred money from clients' accounts on
32 different occasions. He had attempted to pass off the money transfer by
claiming it was going to a cleaning company.

After his arrest, Sutton told police that his money had been spent on alcohol, kids,
holidays and an ex-wife. According to the Manchester Evening News, Laura
Foster, defending, said: "The majority of it went on alcohol - drinking with
his ex-partner who had a long-standing alcohol problem. He did leave his
employment to stop that temptation, he continued to try and address the problems
with life, leaving his wife and moving away from alcohol."

Despite offering to repay the money, it has been revealed that Sutton
can only afford to pay £250 per month - meaning it will be another 33 years
before the debt is cleared. A proceeds of crime hearing will take place later
this year