JAILED: Former finance officer stole almost £1m from Gedling Borough Council

A borough council worker who syphoned an estimated £1m of the local authority’s money to fund a gambling addiction jailed for five years.

Alan Doig was employed as a Senior Assistant Accountant, and he was responsible for the council’s creditors system which included the ability to generate invoices and make payments to suppliers. 

Over the 20-year period, Doig established a highly sophisticated system to divert small, regular payments from council accounts using his knowledge of the organisation and his position of trust.

His understanding of financial systems meant he was able to divert funds without it being flagged as suspicious for many years.

The fraud was discovered in 2021 when changes in legislation and new ways of working, introduced during covid, required him to work differently.

He started to change the pattern of diverting funds, notably increasing the amounts he was taking, which was discovered by a colleague who had become suspicious of his change in behaviour. 

He was suspended with immediate effect and, after an internal investigation, was dismissed from his position with the council.

A search warrant was carried out at Doig’s home address by Nottinghamshire Police on October 6, 2022.

He was later arrested and charged with Fraud by Abuse of Position and Obtaining a Money Transfer by Deception by Nottinghamshire Police.

Doig, 55, of Bedale Road in Daybrook, went on to admit the fraud. 

He told Police that the money had been used to fund a lifelong gambling addiction, something that he had not disclosed to the council during his time working there.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, October 2.

Jailing him, Judge Nirmal Shant KC said he had stolen the equivalent of 6% of the council’s entire budget for one year.

She told him: “This was theft by you with a real and significant impact on each of the residents who live within that borough.

“You stole from them. You squandered their money on gambling.”

Gedling Borough Council’s Chief Executive Mike Hill said: “Our organisation is in shock that we are the victims of a crime carried out by a long serving employee, who was in position of trust, and who abused the system to commit fraud on such a scale.

“This was a criminal act and the sentencing reflects the crime and we believe that justice has been served.

“Only someone with key insider knowledge could have done this, and we would not have been able to prevent this from happening. We had numerous checks and controls in place, we were subjected to regular and thorough audits of processes and procedures. It was only when legislation changes came in that required new checks, as well as his changes in behaviour, that the fraud was found.

“We are confident that this was an isolated incident by a man with a serious problem. He stole public money, which could have been used to pay for essential services and we want to reassure the public that the money will be recuperated in full.”