Licensee found guilty of fraud after fiddling tills

Christopher Tearne, who ran the Lamplighter pub in Stratford, was able to keep all takings on food, but 93% of drinks sales were supposed to go to Davenports Brewery.

Tearne was convicted at Warwickshire Crown Court on Friday (11 December) and will have to pay the brewery £1,525 compensation, a £80 victim surcharge and £800 in court costs.

Deterrent 

A spokesman for Davenports told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser​ the brewery hoped the conviction will work as a deterrent to fraudsters.

The spokesman said: “The venue was regularly down on stock. After eliminating all other possibilities our business development manager found that the till had been re-programmed,” the spokesman said.

“Lager was being sold but put through the till as food sales - which the manager got 100% of the taking on.”

Guilty

Tearne will also complete 90 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to fraud.

Warwickshire Crown Court confirmed that Tearne was found guilty of dishonestly making false representation to make a gain.

The judge condemned Tearne for a ‘dishonest streak’ before delivering the sentence.

Trust

The Coventry Telegraph​ was the trial at Warwickshire Crown Court on Friday (11 December), where Judge Richard Griffith-Jones reportedly told Tearne: “These were offences committed in breach of trust.

“There are many people who, at various times in their life, find it difficult to manage financially, and I don’t ignore that that can create a deal of stress.

“But I am afraid you have exhibited, on more than one occasion now, a dishonest streak.

“I don’t want that to ruin the rest of your work life; but you have got to eradicate it, otherwise you will end up being unemployable.

“You have a caution for theft and now a conviction for fraud.

“You’re going to have to lead an honest and hard-working life from now to live that down.”