Woodford Green manager who stole almost £100,000 has sentencing deferred
Mohsin Mallu, 28, admitted stealing almost �100,000 from the post office. Picture: PA - Credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images
A post office manager who stole almost £100,000 and gambled most of it away on a betting website has had his sentencing deferred while he pays £10,000 back.
Mohsin Mallu, 28, of Rivington Avenue, Woodford Green, used the store’s chip-and-pin machine to transfer £95,400 to his personal account over five months.
He began stealing at the shop, in Rush Green Road, Dagenham, after being promoted by owner Amit Patel.
Prosecutor Paul Douglas told Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday: “He said he borrowed the money to gamble, but had lost the money and borrowed again to cover his losses.”
By the time of Mallu’s confession in February last year, only £21,900 remained.
“Mr Patel was in a state of complete shock when he was told about this,” said Mr Douglas. “He spoke to the defendant and his family and they weren’t in a position to pay back any of the money.”
Mr Douglas said Mr Patel is having to pay back the money himself as he is the store’s guarantor.
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CCTV footage showed Mallu leaning through the hatch in the counter on several occasions to put his card in the machine.
He pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation at Thames Magistrates’ Court in October.
Mallu, who has just £16 in his bank account, claimed he began stealing to pay his rent and living expenses and tried to win the money back through gambling.
Judge Simon Wilkinson deferred sentencing for six months to give Mallu time to pay back £10,000 to Mr Patel.
He said: “I accept that you’ve shown a very real sense of shame, of course this offence was clearly out of character.
“I have to say that my first concern is for the man whom you defrauded; your conduct towards him was absolutely despicable.”
