Pub worker stole his colleague’s wage

Blackburn magistrates heard the theft cast suspicion on other members of staff at The Rose and Crown before Joshua John Gilloway admitted responsibility.

Gilloway (18), of Billington Gardens, Billington, pleaded guilty to theft by employee. He was ordered to do 150 hours’ unpaid work and pay £60 costs and £97 compensation.

Miss Catherine Allan (prosecuting) said Nigel Riley, the landlord of The Rose and Crown, made up staff wages every two weeks. The cash was placed in envelopes with wage slips, which were put in a drawer behind the bar. A female member of staff went to collect her wage and reported to the landlord that it wasn’t there. A search revealed the pay packet was in a bin behind the bar, along with Gilloway’s empty pay packet.

CCTV footage showed Gilloway collecting his wage from the drawer and putting the envelope in the same bin as the stolen packet was recovered from. When he came back to work the following day he was challenged and admitted taking the wage packet. He said he had a £900 drug debt and had used the money to pay towards it.

Miss Allan said Gilloway had been due some holiday pay and this had been used towards the compensation.

Laura Walmsley (defending) said Gilloway was devastated to have lost his good character and accepted his behaviour had been despicable.