Chester Zoo worker jailed after stealing £180,000 from previous job

A Chester Zoo employee has been jailed after stealing more than £180,000 from his previous job at Liverpool Motor Auctions Ltd. Daniel Remmington, who was trusted as the company's bookkeeper, pocketed large sums of money over a year to fuel his gambling habit, leading to the business's closure and job losses for innocent staff.

The 29-year-old from Greasby, Wirral, pilfered a total of £186,000 from the car auction firm between March 2019 and April 2020 while serving as its cashier and bookkeeper. Prosecutor Robert Dudley detailed how Remmington would take the company's share of cash sales before depositing the funds into his personal Halifax account.

The fraudster managed to hide his actions by misrecording the transactions. Even when the company owner noticed around £160,000 missing from the accounts and initiated an internal investigation, Remmington continued to steal, taking another £20,000.

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Additionally, Remmington bought a Nissan Qashqai from the company using a false name and never paid for it, leaving the auctioneers with a £5,500 deficit. Half of the vehicle's price was covered by a cheque from his mother.

The scam only came to a halt when the company was forced to stop its auctions due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the firm's insolvency and the loss of jobs for its staff, reports the Liverpool Echo.

In court yesterday, David Birrell, defending, presented his client as "hard working and respectful" and someone who "always goes above and beyond," citing references from a professor at NHS England, a solicitor, and his "most recent employer" Chester Zoo. He stated: "Of course, Mr Remmington knows that immediate custody is inevitable."

"He was in a trusted position as a cashier, but perhaps not the most trusted person one can imagine in an organisation. He acknowledges, of course, that people lost their jobs."

"The offending is now old, although the defendant had a hand in the delay because he maintained his innocence. He has academic qualifications - GCSEs, A-levels and a university degree."

"He has a decent work record. Your honour knows that he was working right up until his remand into custody."

"There has now, at this late hour, been some steps taken to address his gambling addiction. He has admitted to that addiction, which was obvious given the amount he was gambling."

"He now recognises that he has a problem and he is trying to do something about it. The court may feel that gambling explains his offending - if he can address his gambling, it will extinguish the risk of any reoffending."

"His mother did rely on him significantly prior to his remand into custody. She will find it difficult without him."

Remmington, who has no previous convictions, was convicted of fraud by abuse of position by a jury. During a video link appearance to HMP Liverpool, he received a six-year prison sentence.

Judge Louise Brandon, during sentencing, remarked: "All or most of the cash which came into the business passed through your hands. It transpired that you were helping yourself to large sums of cash from the business and falsifying records to cover your tracks."

"It was a successful business, making profits of about £150,000 per year. It was obvious that the only person with the means to take the money and falsify records was you."

"You were spending these funds on gambling and purchases. There was a clear and obvious increase in your spending at the time of the money going missing from the company."

"It seems that it was lockdown that put a stop to your activity rather than a realisation of the harm you were inflicting on the company and staff. It is clear that all of the money you took was used to clear your overdraft or went straight over the counter or into betting terminals at William Hill."

Regarding Liverpool Motor Auction, Judge Brandon stated: "Its loss is a heavy blow to the area. It was the only car auction company in Liverpool."

"Given that you continue to maintain your innocence and you failure to repay a single penny that you stole, those staff are still waiting for answers. They may conclude that they lost their jobs because of you."

"There has been a devastating impact on the company and staff. Many of them worked for the company for many years."

"You are of previous good character. You are still a relatively young man."

"Your mother is in poor health, and you have provided support for her. You have now seen the consequences, for yourself and others, of your addiction."

Remmington could now be forced to return his ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act. He was also slapped with a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the company's owner for 15 years.

Merseyside Police's Detective Inspector Chris Hawitt commented after yesterday's sentencing: "This was a lengthy and complex fraud investigation, and I'm thankful that a jury saw through Remmington's lies and found him guilty of the offence. I hope this case highlights that stealing from a business is not a victimless crime and can impact on innocent people."

"Sadly, a number of people lost their jobs and this would not only have affected them but also their families who would have been distressed and worried. This impact was clearly lost on Remmington, and he will now be left to consider the full consequences of his actions behind bars."

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