A Blyth pensioner stole over £41000 from a social club where he was treasurer over 18 months. He received a suspended sentence.
Michael Marcroft took the money slowly over eighteen months while working for Blyth United Services Club in Blyth. They caught him by accident last June and arrested him.
Marcroft, 73 and living in Blyth, received a suspended sentence of twelve months after admitting to employee theft. The crime occurred between January 2022 and June 2023.
Brian Payne explained that Marcroft took the large sum gradually, breaching the trust placed in him as treasurer. The club found the theft accidentally, and their accounting was also poor.
Payne initially suggested a two-year prison term. He said Marcroft didn’t deposit the club’s cash, keeping it instead. The court heard that Marcroft regrets his actions, has mobility issues now, and had no prior convictions.
Denise Jackman, defending Marcroft, said the theft was poorly planned, explaining he simply didn’t bank the funds. Marcroft must also pay £1,800 in compensation.