'Greedy' Seaham accountant is jailed again after conning second car firm to pocket £188,000
A “greedy” accountant who once stole £2.5m from a car retail firm pocketed another £188,000 from his new bosses after a court heard how he struggled on a “normal” wage.
Allan Curry was jailed for six years in 2017 after he used Evans Halshaw garage’s cash to buy himself four houses and Mercedes, BMW and Range Rover motors.
Newcastle Crown Court has now heard that, while out on licence, Curry forged a clean DBS check and hid his criminal past to take up a new post as assistant accountant with car company Lookers.
Within weeks of starting in the trusted role, Curry again started to transfer company cash into his own accounts and bought himself a £60,000 BMW.
The court heard he was collared when another accountant, who had worked with him at his last job, found out he was now also employed at Lookers and reported him.
By then, had tried to make a further £111,956 in payments to himself although the firm was able to stop them going through.
Curry, 33, of Norfolk Close, Seaham, admitted fraud by abuse of position and has been locked up for three years and eight months.
Recorder Nathan Moxon told him: “You were stealing out of greed.
“You told probation you find it difficult to survive on a normal wage. Well, people have to survive on a normal wage.”
The court heard Curry committed his crimes by creating fake email addresses for incoming invoices and then sending the money to his own bank accounts.
Prosecutor Jasmine Dodd said Curry started working at Lookers on September 27, 2022, as an assistant accountant.
Miss Dodd added: “As part of his role, the defendant processed supplier invoices and raised payments.
“Between the December 6, 2022, and of May 26, 2023, the defendant made eight separate fraudulent supplier invoices, resulting in £188,180.51 of money being transferred to his bank account held with Cashplus bank." Curry initially denied wrongdoing but later offered his BMW and £300 per month as repayment, which was refused.
Jamie Adams, defending, said: “There are no assets, no rich living.
“There is nothing to show for it whatsoever except the prison sentence he will obviously have to endure.”
Prosecutors have started proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act and will seize any assets Curry is found to have.