Ely Man Spent Nearly £100,000 Of Employer's Money

George Leech, 20, was working as an assistant account manager at Turners in Soham, when he began registering fake companies on their invoice system and linking them to four of his own bank accounts.

Over a 15-day period starting in July last year he transferred £214,032 into the accounts, spread across 16 transactions. The company’s account manager was contacted by several banks who had seized a total of £116,807 after questioning the legitimacy of some transactions.

Leech was found to be responsible and confessed to what he’d done, as well as to spending a further £97,225. He was arrested on 7 August at Luton Airport, where he was due to board a flight, and told police, “I’m glad I got caught. It was driving me insane.”

In interview he admitted he had lost £30,000 gambling, spent £10,000 paying off debt, £14,000 on holidays for his family, £5,000 on a travel card, £2,500 on tattoos and the rest on designer clothing and food.

Leech, of Downham Road, Ely, was sentenced to two years in a young offenders institution at Cambridge Crown Court after pleading guilty to fraud by abuse of position. 

DC Martyn Willis said: “Leech had been in his role for three years and abused his position to fund his gambling addiction and a luxurious lifestyle. 

“He took advantage of his employer’s trust in order to line his own pockets.”