Co-op manager stole £4,000

A Co-op assistant manager stole over £4,000 in cash but was caught on CCTV stuffing wads of notes into an envelope.

Rachael Helen Bennett, 30, who had worked for Co-operative Food Stores for seven years was assistant manager at the Hurdsfield Road, Macclesfield store Chester Crown Court heard.

Jayne Morris, prosecuting said that Bennett, of Meadow Way, Macclesfield, had returned from a two-week holiday to work at 1.40pm on August 6 last year where another manager carried out a shift handover.

On August 10 a cash pick up was made, supervised by the second manager and it was noticed that £4,025 was missing for the collection.

Miss Morris, said: “CCTV was reviewed of activity in the shop on August 6 which showed the defendant placing cash into a brown envelope which she then placed down the side of a computer. The following day she did not attend for her shift. She self-certified as sick and did not return to work at the store. After being arrested she gave full and frank admissions to officers.”

The court heard that Co-operative Food Stores began disciplinary measures against Bennett and she was later sacked for gross misconduct.

Bennett, a former Tytherington High School and Macclesfield College student, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft at an earlier hearing. The court heard she had no previous convictions and had since paid the money back. A letter was handed the Judge, Patrick Thompson, from the defendant in which she apologised for her actions.

Defending, Peter Malone, said: “Having established a career at the Co-op for seven years this court is the last place she expected to be. She apologises to all the parties affected for behaving in this way. She is remorseful and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.”