Man took £128,000 for 'good life'

Rennie took the money over the period of a year

An accountant who embezzled almost £130,000 as he funded his girlfriend's "luxury" lifestyle has been jailed for a year.

Andrew Rennie, 26, gave her £38,000 for designer jewellery, clothes and cosmetic surgery, and bought a flat for them to live in.

He felt pressurised because his former partner "enjoyed the good life", Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.

Rennie admitted taking the money from the Don Fishing Company Ltd.

Rennie, of Westhill, Aberdeenshire, took the money while working as an accounts assistant between September 2004 and December 2005.

He got away with it and felt an overwhelming temptation to do it again Paul Barnett Defence lawyer

Bosses had signed blank cheques for him to fill in for work purposes which he then cashed into his own bank account.

The court heard Rennie, who was in debt, first took £10,000 to pay the deposit on a mortgage.

Fiscal depute Ian Warburton said: "As part of his duties, he was responsible for the rationing and the completion of company cheques.

"He would take the cheques to one of two signatories to be signed.

"It was company policy at the time that they signed blank cheques and simply handed them back to Mr Rennie for completion.

"It became clear there were a number of unexplained payments from the company bank account and a number of discrepancies came to light."

The court heard Rennie handed police receipts for a number of "luxury goods" and admitted stealing when he was caught.

'Dishonest character'

Defence lawyer Paul Barnett said of the relationship between Rennie and his partner: "He felt pressurised by her to spend outwith his means to pay for the lifestyle she enjoyed living.

"He got away with it and felt an overwhelming temptation to do it again."

He said Rennie's former girlfriend "enjoyed the good life".

The court heard the embezzlement was out of character for the first offender and he had repaid £85,000.

Sheriff Annella Cowan branded Rennie a "dishonest character" before jailing him.

She told him: "It is easy to take the view that white collar crime such as embezzlement is not as serious as other matters this court deals with.

"This was taken by you illegally from your employers. You were in a position of trust."