thurso manager embezzled money to bankroll her addiction to an internet gambling site
Ex-bookies boss used £30,000 of takings to feed own habit
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The former manager of a Thurso betting shop blew more than £30,000 of punters’ takings to bankroll her addiction to an internet gambling site.
Far from giving her a life of luxury, Sheena Scott’s ill-gotten gains mired her in debt and left her with serious psychological problems.
First-offender Scott sobbed after she was spared jail when she appeared for sentence at Wick Sheriff Court yesterday. Placing her on probation for three years, Sheriff Andrew Berry said she had committed a gross breach of trust.
Scott, of 27 Holborn Avenue, Thurso, had previously admitted embezzling £30,028.91 between October 1, 2006, and June 8, 2007, while employed at Scotscoup. The 46-year-old siphoned takings into a special account she used to support her all-night gambling with an internet roulette site.
Her boss become suspicious after the shop takings started to drop off and large discrepancies emerged in the accounts. Scott worked at the town-centre shop for 20 years and had been in no previous trouble of any kind.
Solicitor Neil Wilson said her addiction developed about 18 months before her crime was uncovered.
Mr Wilson said Scott deluded herself into thinking she could gamble her way out of her fast-growing debt. He said her all-night stints of on-line roulette were doomed given the in-house profit built into the system.
After reading background reports, Sheriff Berry said: “It goes without saying, that this was a gross breach of trust and the sum of money was substantial.”
The sheriff said her previous good character and work record and early guilty plea allowed him to consider a community sentence. He said: “I’ve come to the conclusion, just, it’s not necessary to send you to prison.”
The probation order includes a direction to comply with the directions of the community mental health team and seek counselling for her gambling addiction.
She is also to be the subject of a 12-month tagging order when she has to stay in her house between eight in the evening and eight in the morning.
She faces separate civil proceedings under proceeds-of-crime legislation. It seeks to confiscate £56,110 which it is claimed she gained from her criminal lifestyle in the six years up to June 2007. The action was adjourned until December 12.
