Employee facing jail after ex-partner told Sunderland firm about his three-month £24,000 scam

Kieron Gilbert, 26, of Antwerp Road, Farringdon, Sunderland, set up fake client accounts and ordered pricey items on their behalf – then flogged them.

But his three-month crime spree against Wearside appliances firm Pacifica Group unravelled when his former flame tipped the company off.

She did so in a phone call to a female colleague of trusted customer service advisor Gilbert who she believed he was having an affair with, a court heard

The woman alerted her bosses - and their investigation revealed the depth of his fraud in the period between October 8, 2019, and January 16, 2020.

Gilbert has been warned the starting point for his crime is three years behind bars – and he will be sentenced early in the New Year by a crown court judge.

Prosecutor Marc Atkins told magistrates in South Tyneside: “The defendant worked for a company called Pacifica, which is a company that deals with household appliances.

“The offence came to light when the suspect’s former partner contacted the company, and accused a woman there of having an affair with the defendant.

“She said that she had heard that the defendant had been stealing from the company.

“Forty-six appliances were ordered between October and January of this year, in which this defendant was creating fake accounts from client companies and taking possession of the goods and making a gain.

“He was interviewed about the offence and admitted it. He has two convictions from three offences, but nothing relevant.

“It’s higher culpability, he was an employee. It’s a starting point of three years.”

The court heard Gilbert, who pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, took goods to the value of £23,913.

Alaister Naismith, defending, said: “Even on a lowest level of 18 months, it will beyond your scope.”

Magistrates agreed their powers were insufficient to deal with the case and committed Gilbert to appear at Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday, January 21.

He was granted unconditional bail.

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