A SITE manager at a popular entertainment venue stole thousands of pounds from the company, a court heard.

Richard Williams, of Burland Grove, Kendal, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to one count of theft by employee when he appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on July 31.

The court heard Williams, 41, stole £3,500 belonging to the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal between June 17 – August 11 last year.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said Williams had been employed at the company for over ten years when he was caught taking money from the cash box of the car park ticket machine.

Mr Dacre said this occurred on 15 separate occasions whilst the defendant had been on emergency sick leave.

The court heard Williams was one of the only employees at the company who had keys to the cash box.

Mr Dacre said staff became aware of his offending after realising a new ticket machine had been malfunctioning.

He explained the machine was checked and it was then that staff realised the cash box had not been put back properly.

In mitigation, James McCall-Harkness described his client as reaching the ‘cliff edge’ of his life.

Mr McCall-Harkness added: “He became addicted to cocaine following the separation from his wife and loss of his accommodation provided by the council. He is no longer addicted to cocaine, but he still has a long way to go.

“He was forced to go off sick which led to this spiral of theft. He fully appreciates that a custodial sentence may be appropriate in his case. However, he has taken steps to address his addiction and his behaviour.

“In my submission, there are several mitigating factors that would enable you to step back from imposing an immediate prison sentence today.”

The court heard Williams was 'engaging well' with a current community order for unrelated matters.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until August 28 in order for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Williams was granted unconditional bail.