AN employee who created fake customer accounts to take and sell on more than £50,000 worth of electrical goods is facing prison, a judge warned yesterday.
Keiran Gordon (30) was told sentencing was only being put back for six months to allow him time to pay back all the money.
District Judge Fiona Bagnall stressed her decision was "not holding out any carrot or hope" of him avoiding immediate custody.
Gordon, of Loughinisland Road in Downpatrick, Co Down, was convicted of two counts of fraud by false representation.
Belfast Magistrates' Court heard police were contacted earlier this year after he had been sacked from his job at Rexel Electrical Supplies in the city.
Gordon had created a number of false accounts in customers' names and taken stock for himself.
Prosecutors revealed the scam carried out between March 2018 and January 2019 involved goods worth just over £50,000.
The second charge related to money being transferred to Gordon for items that were never supplied.
"He accepted that he had fabricated the account in order to get goods from the company and sell them on for a profit," a Crown lawyer added.
Defence counsel Luke Curran said his client had acted to pay for a cocaine addiction.
Urging the judge to defer sentencing, Mr Curran argued that Gordon has now got another job and wants to pay back for what was taken.
Mrs Bagnall insisted the accused had been in a position of trust.
"I don't see how this can't be immediate custody," she said.
But putting the case back to next June, she confirmed: "I will adjourn to allow recompense."
