Man jailed for stealing £1000s from Hinderwell holiday business
Ricky Lee Stevenson was sentenced on Wednesday (21 June) at York Crown Court following a guilty plea on 28 February
A man has been put behind bars for two and a half years after he admitted stealing £1000s from a holiday business in Hinderwell - where he worked as a manager.
34-year-old Ricky Lee Stevenson from Glastonbury Road in Skelton in Cleveland was sentenced yesterday (June 21) at York Crown Court after a guilty plea on February 28.
They happened at the B&B and holiday chalets to the north of Whitby during 2020, with the police reporting 'his actions left the business on the brink of collapse' during the times of Covid, with the business - and others around the country - surviving on loans backed by the Government.
In December 2020, the owner started receiving warning letters from utility companies and other providers to the business regarding unpaid bills - with the offender initially explaining it was because guests were failing to turn up because of the Coronavirus restrictions at the time.
However, when the owner confronted Stevenson in January 2021, the defendant broke down and admitted using the money to fund his cocaine addiction and gambling.
North Yorkshire Police were alerted - and extensive investigations were undertaken by Scarborough and Ryedale CID.
Stevenson was arrested at the beginning of February 2021 when he was interviewed and released on bail.
Led by Police Staff Investigator Rob Henderson, with support from the Financial Investigation Unit, the inquiry secured evidence which proved Stevenson had stolen £70,000 from the business.
This was in the form of bank transactions to his personal account, cheques made out to himself, cash withdrawals using the business card, and taking cash payments directly from guests who were told the card machine was out of order.
However, at court, Stevenson’s guilty plea for stealing an amount totalling £40,000 was accepted by the prosecution.
Following the sentencing, Police Staff Investigator Henderson said: “Ricky Stevenson was a close acquaintance of the owner who placed him in a position of trust to manage the holiday business and even let him live rent-free on the site where he worked.
“He breached this trust in a most outrageous and calculated way for his own selfish gain.
“Stevenson’s actions almost brought about the collapse of the business and caused untold upset and stress for the owner at a time when the business was surviving on Covid loans due to the restrictions in place.
“It is pleasing that he has been brought to justice and is now facing up to the consequences of his actions.”