Suspended sentence for man who stole fuel from employer

A man has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrate's Court today for stealing fuel from his employer.

Nigel McClay (52) of Lincoln Courts in Derry admitted a charge of theft on July 22 this year.

The court heard that the company suspected that McClay was stealing fuel from a tanker he was driving.

There had been discrepancies in the amount of fuel being loaded onto the tanker and the amount delivered.

Employees followed McClay and saw him at his home placing fuel into a blue container.

A check of the tracking system showed McClay leaving the depot and going to his house before doing his run.

The amount of fuel referred to in this case was £15.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that obviously there had been other thefts but defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that this was not accepted and the court was dealing with a single theft of £15 of oil.

Mr Quigley said his client had 'made a terrible mistake' for which he had paid the price of losing his job.

Judge McElholm said that theft from an employer normally resulted in prison. 

In this case he imposed a sentence of 3 months suspended for 12 months.