A plumber defrauded DIY stores across Tayside of more than £6,000 of goods despite knowing he was already under investigation.
Graeme McKay from Carnoustie told the stores that he was acting on behalf of his employers, and then used the goods to carry out work for his own business.
His deception came to light when his bosses were sent invoices by the stores and realised that they had not received the goods.
Perth Sheriff Court heard that McKay had been sacked with immediate effect and was now working on a self-employed basis.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told the court: “The accused pretended he was authorised to obtain goods and thereafter induced the staff at the locations to provide goods to the total specified in each charge.”
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said that McKay had repaid some of the cash.
She said: “He made no profit in relation to this. He accepts responsibility for the offences.
“His position is he was under the impression that he was allowed to do that, but clearly that was not the case.”
The 37-year-old previously pled guilty to going to Plumbase at the Inveralmond Industrial Estate, Perth on December 19, and persuading employees to part with £380 of goods after telling them he was acting for a building maintenance firm at Dundee’s Overgate shopping centre.
He returned to the store on three separate occasions, on January 8, 9 and 15 of 2016 and made the same claims, coming away with a total of £3,949.63 in goods.
He is alleged to have targeted the Dundee branch of Plumbase between March 8 2016 and April 14 that year, telling staff he was authorised to use another person’s account to obtain goods to the value of £2,031.05.
Sentencing him, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis noted that “white collar” crime such as embezzlement, fraud and benefit fraud seemed to be more prevalent that previously.
He said: “There seems to be a thought that provided the sums are paid back then everything is ok.
“The fact remains that if money is dishonestly appropriated from a business that can have significant consequences for the business because profit margins can be quite tight.
“By the time of the fraud in March and April of 2016 you knew full well that you were being made the subject of a criminal investigation for the same thing but that didn’t stop you from engaging in similar behaviour.”
McKay, of Church Road, Carnoustie, was sentenced to eight months in prison.
