A gambler, with debts of £35,000, embezzled more than £9,500 from his employer and lost the entire sum at the bookies.
Thomas Crosbie then walked to the police station and confessed his crime.
Twenty-nine-year-old Crosbie of Dingleton Cottages, Melrose, admitted embezzling £9,580 while employed as assistant manager at Aldi in King Street, Galashiels, between December 30, 2012 and January 15 this year.
Depute fiscal Tessa Bradley told how, as assistant manager, Crosbie was one of three designated people responsible for cashing up at the end of the day
“It was also his responsibility to store the takings in the safe,” added Ms Bradley.
Crosbie had worked a 2.30pm to 7pm shift on December 30, and was designated to cash up.
“He offered to work the following day, as they were short staffed, and was again designated to cash up,” explained Ms Bradley.
The court was told the manager returned to work on January 10 and found that the takings had not been collected as usual.
“He made checks and found that the accused had gone home with the safe key,” said Ms Bradley.
When Crosbie met the manager in the street, he handed him the store keys and said, “sorry” – although the manager didn’t know why he was apologising, and tried to contact him throughout the day.
Crosbie then walked to Galashiels Police Station, and said he wished to confess to a crime.
During interview, he said he had stolen about £9,000 from his workplace.
He said he had taken the store money, but didn’t bank it.
Crosbie told officers he had a gambling addiction and was worried about debts.
He said he lost the first lot of money – £4,590 – at Ladbrokes, and the second sum of £4,990 at William Hill.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it,” he said.
Defence solicitor Ross Dow said his client walked straight from the bookmakers to the police station where he confessed his crime.
Mr Dow explained: “He took about £4,500 the first time and lost it, and was desperately trying to win it back to repay the money, and that led to the second offence. Such was the extent of his gambling addiction.”
Mr Dow said the offence had proved a turning point for Crosbie, who was currently receiving help in tackling his problem.
The lawyer went on: “He has a family, had a good job with prospects, and was gambling thousands of pounds.
Sherif Kevin Drummond observed: “He is said to have gambling debts of £35,000.”
Mr Dow replied: “He has had this problem for 16 years – it is a very sad case.”
The solicitor urged the sheriff to consider a non-custodial sentence, saying Crosbie was keen to repay the money.
Sentence was deferred until April 22 to investigate any prospect of repayment.
Sheriff Drummond told Crosbie: “I have to weigh up a number of considerations.
“You were in a position of trust; the sum of money; public policy considerations; and comparative justice.
“There is only one factor which is favourable, and that is that you, yourself, reported the crime before it even became known.”