It was the second time he had plundered money while in a trusted position
Christopher Pickwell, pictured outside Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A manager of a trampoline firm stole from the safe of his employer to feed his gambling addiction. Christopher Pickwell messaged his boss after stealing the money to say that he was not returning to work and that he was admitting the matter.
It was the second time that he had been involved in plundering money from others while in a trusted position, Hull Crown Court heard. Pickwell, 45, of Whitfield Road, Kirk Ella, admitted theft from his employer on January 1, 2024. Connor Stuart, prosecuting, said that Pickwell worked at Gravity, based at St Stephen’s shopping centre, Hull. He went to the safe on January 1, 2024 and stole £1,561 in cash. CCTV cameras captured Pickwell at the safe, placing the money into a container and then walking out.
“Shortly after, he messaged the area manager to say he would not be back to work,” said Mr Stuart. The area manager contacted Humberside Police and Pickwell was arrested.
He told police in an interview that he had spent the money on gambling. The court heard that he had committed fraud in June 2023 by taking more than £29,000 from a company for which he worked as a freelance.
At a previous hearing on December 22 last year, the court heard that Pickwell worked on a freelance basis for a team-building company and his role was to conduct sales and to carry out events for corporate companies and clients. In June 2023, he ran an event for a customer on behalf of the company.
He invoiced the client and used the company’s name and VAT number but gave his own bank details. The customer paid £21,048. After the event, the company began receiving bad reviews online, saying that it did not pay staff.
On June 26, 2023, Pickwell took payment for an event that he organised supposedly on behalf of the company but, in reality, without its knowledge and consent. He again included his own bank details but the company’s name and VAT number.
Sub-contractors, who were owed £6,000, were not paid. Pickwell took four iPads from the company to arrange a GPS-based treasure hunt. He never gave them back.
The total amount stolen was £29,610 and the iPads took the total to £33,990, said Mr Stuart. Pickwell had agreed to pay more than £4,000 in compensation as part of a Proceeds of Crime matter.
The company suffered a loss of reputation and this led to it being dissolved. The owner said the business lost a significant amount of money and Pickwell had been a trusted employee.
For that offence, Pickwell received a two-year suspended sentence on December 22 last year and he was ordered to do 250 hours’ unpaid work.
Maya Hanson, mitigating, said that Pickwell was receiving help after “struggling with a chronic gambling addiction”.
He was taking steps to stabilise his life and he had set up a painting and decorating business. He also volunteered as a verger at a local church.
Recorder Taryn Turner said it had been a “serious breach of trust.” Pickwell wept as Recorder Turner imposed a six-month suspended prison sentence.
She added that it was unusual to have two suspended sentences running alongside each other. Pickwell must also do a further 100 hours’ unpaid work and attend 15 days’ rehabilitation.
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