Manager Jailed for Stealing Thousands of Pounds from Hinderwell Holiday Business

Key Highlights :

1. Ricky Stevenson, 34, of Glastonbury Road, Skelton in Cleveland, was sentenced on Wednesday June 21 at York Crown Court, following a guilty plea on February 28. The thefts occurred at the bed and breakfast accommodation and holiday chalets to the north of Whitby during 2020.

2. Stevenson’s actions left the business on the brink of collapse at a time when it was surviving on Government-backed Covid loans.

3. Stevenson initially explained the lack of funds in the account was down to guests failing to turn up due to the Covid restrictions at that time. However, when the owner confronted Stevenson in January 2021, the defendant broke down and admitted using the money to fund his cocaine addiction and gambling.

4. The matter was reported to North Yorkshire Police and an extensive investigation was undertaken by Scarborough and Ryedale CID.

5. Stevenson was arrested at the beginning of February 2021 when he was interviewed and released on bail.

6. Led by Police Staff Investigator Rob Henderson, with support from the Financial Investigation Unit, the inquiry secured evidence which proved Stevenson had stolen £70,000 from the business. This was in the form of bank transactions to his personal account, cheques made out to himself, cash withdrawals using the business card, and taking cash payments directly from guests who were told the card machine was out of order.

7. However, at court, Stevenson’s guilty plea for stealing an amount totalling £40,000 was accepted by the prosecution.

     Ricky Lee Stevenson, 34, of Glastonbury Road, Skelton in Cleveland, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail on Wednesday June 21 at York Crown Court, following a guilty plea on February 28. Stevenson had stolen thousands of pounds from a Hinderwell holiday business, where he worked as a manager.

     The bed and breakfast accommodation and holiday chalets to the north of Whitby were left on the brink of collapse due to the thefts, which occurred in 2020. In December 2020, the owner of the business started receiving warning letters from utility companies and other providers regarding unpaid bills. Initially, Stevenson explained the lack of funds in the account was due to guests not turning up due to the Covid restrictions at that time.

     However, when the owner confronted Stevenson in January 2021, the defendant broke down and admitted to using the money to fund his cocaine addiction and gambling. The matter was reported to North Yorkshire Police and an extensive investigation was undertaken by Scarborough and Ryedale CID. Evidence was secured which proved that Stevenson had stolen £70,000 from the business. This was in the form of bank transactions to his personal account, cheques made out to himself, cash withdrawals using the business card, and taking cash payments directly from guests who were told the card machine was out of order.

     At court, Stevenson’s guilty plea for stealing an amount totalling £40,000 was accepted by the prosecution. Following the sentencing, Police Staff Investigator Rob Henderson said: “Ricky Stevenson was a close acquaintance of the owner who placed him in a position of trust to manage the holiday business and even let him live rent-free on the site where he worked. He breached this trust in a most outrageous and calculated way for his own selfish gain.”

     The investigation and sentencing of Ricky Lee Stevenson serves as a reminder that crime does not pay. His actions almost brought about the collapse of the business and caused untold upset and stress for the owner at a time when the business was surviving on Covid loans due to the restrictions in place. It is reassuring that justice has been served and he is now facing up to the consequences of his actions.

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