Dishonest worker stole £14,000 from the Steam Packet Inn
Nichola Chandler has finally been brought to justice
A woman has been convicted of stealing from a popular Devon pub - nine years after committing the crime. Nichola Chandler, aged 56, pocketed nearly £14,000 from the Steam Packet Inn in Totnes in 2017.
Her job was to bank cash takings but over a three-month period money started to go missing.
Chandler, who lived in Brixham at the time, was arrested in 2017 and again in 2022 but disappeared before justice could be served. She was arrested a few weeks ago after starting a new life as a hotel worker in Sussex.
Chandler admitted theft. She was given a suspended sentence and told to pay £1,000 compensation.
The judge at Exeter Crown Court said she had betrayed the trust of her employers.
The court was told that Chandler's role was to bank takings at the Post Office. When accountants became suspicious she was quizzed but denied doing anything wrong.
She left her home address in 2017 owing thousands of pounds to her landlord. Police caught up with her in 2022.
She was due to be sentenced in 2023 but did now show up. The court was told she had a gambling addiction at the time of the theft and is sorry.
Judge David Evans said he had not been given an explanation about what Chandler spent the pub's money on. The defendant has two previous convictions for stealing from employers committed when she was in her 20s.
He sentenced her to 14 months, suspended for 18 months. She must do 180 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 costs.