A FORMER storage firm manager has been spared jail after admitting he took tens of thousands of pounds he wasn't entitled to.

Nick Keenan, of Ffordd Gwern Borter in Rowen, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday morning.

The 37-year-old had previously admitted that between November 2018 and April 2020 he dishonestly abused his position at BOCS Self Storage Ltd in Colwyn Bay intending to make a gain of £56,824.91 for himself.

Anna Pope, prosecuting, said the offence occurred while Keenan was general manager at the firm, ending when he was dismissed from the company.

He was offered the job in 2016 and became thought of as a friend to the owner and director of the company, who supported him in numerous ways including a loan of £3,000 when he was struggling financially.

As part of his job, he was entrusted with access to the company bank accounts.

One aspect of his fraud entailed receiving money and ongoing payments from a customer directly into his personal bank account.

The other saw him using the firm's card machine to process "refunds" onto his own personal bank cards.

Ms Pope said the refunds reached tens of thousands of pounds over a sustained period of time and came to light after a colleague became concerned about his work.

Checks were made and it was found that the accounts had been manipulated and thousands of "grace days" had been put on the company system so that non-payment by customers wouldn't be flagged up for several years. When he was interviewed by police he said he was struggling financially and that the money he had taken was used to fund a gambling habit.

Ms Pope said the impact of the fraud on the owner and the company itself had been "devastating."

Elen Owen, defending: "He got the job and became a trusted employee and friend. "He is deeply remorseful for having breached that trust.

"It wasn't a deliberate setting out to steal - his mother believes he suffered a breakdown.

"He became withdrawn and developed a gambling addiction. "He initially took some money from his former employer, fully intending and wishing to pay that back. "But as is often the case, that spiralled - there was no prospect of repayment."

The court heard Keenan has since taken steps of his own to seek help with gambling.

Judge Nicola Jones told him his methods had been "sophisticated" and that he'd abused the trust of his employer.

She handed him a two year custodial sentence, but suspended it for two years.

Keenan was ordered to carry our 20 rehabilitation activity dates and 200 hours of unpaid work.

The judge also ordered him to pay £1,000 compensation and a £140 victim surcharge.