Brighton accountant jailed for stealing £235k

A 50-year-old insolvency practitioner from Brighton has been jailed for stealing £235,000 while working for a firm of accountants in Hove.

Garry Hacker, of Lenham Avenue, Saltdean, was sentenced to three years in prison at Lewes Crown Court today (Wednesday 7 August).

Hacker admitted theft and fraud at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 30 May.

The offences took place at Chantrey Vellacott, of Boundary Road, Hove, over ten years.

Another insolvency practitioner at the firm discovered the loss of a £5663.75 cheque.

Garry Hacker

The employee had spoken to Hacker about the missing cheque but Hacker had lied, saying that the money had been returned to a creditor as part of an internal fraud investigation.

The extent of Hacker’s dishonesty emerged as a result of that employee’s tenacious pursuit of the truth in the face of Hacker’s lie.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall praised Detective Constable Dave Foster for the thoroughness of his investigation.

Detective Constable Foster, of the Sussex Police Economic Crime Unit, said: “The company specialises in dealing with companies that have become insolvent, and Hacker abused his position of trust by redirecting funds to his own and other accounts under his control.

“During this time he was on a good salary and claimed significant amounts in legitimate expenses but this did not stop him from committing these offences over the years in order to help indulge his high-maintenance lifestyle.

“This was a case of a trusted employee who decided to take advantage of the faith that his employers had in him to systematically defraud them for his own selfish gain.

“He now has an opportunity to reflect on the wisdom of that decision.”

The offences came to light in February 2010. Hacker was declared bankrupt in August 2010 so there were no assets that could be confiscated as having been paid for or supported by crime.

But the court granted a nominal confiscation order of £1 against Hacker. It means that if he gains assets after his release from prison, officers could ask for a fresh confiscation order to recover some of the money that he stole.