A FORMER Brown Thomas employee who stole more than €20,000 from the store in a gift voucher scam has been ordered by Judge Desmond Hogan to carry out 240 hours community service.
Adam Brennan's fraud was discovered as a result of an error by a security company worker who accidentally left behind an envelope which was found to contain only gift vouchers numbered in sequence instead of a mixture of cash and vouchers from tills in the store.
Brennan was then filmed pocketing an envelope after a security camera was secretly installed above his place of work and he was arrested on the street when he left the building five minutes later.
Brennan (26) from Landscape Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14, pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing booklets of vouchers which he substituted for cash on dates between April 27th, 2004, and October 16th, 2005.
Garda Conor Ó Braonáin told prosecuting counsel, Kerida Naidoo BL, that he calculated Brennan had taken a total of €20,160 on about eight separate occasions.
Defence counsel, Paul Carroll BL, told Judge Hogan that Brennan had repaid Brown Thomas in full.
Garda Ó Braonáin said Brennan had sole responsibility for envelopes of cash and vouchers from the various tills around the store.
These envelopes were then handed on to Brinks Allied, but on October 9th, 2005, two envelopes were accidentally left behind by the security firm.
Garda Ó Braonáin told Mr Naidoo that the fraud was discovered by Brown Thomas's financial controller, who noticed that one of the envelopes which was supposed to contain a mix of vouchers and cash contained only vouchers valued at €3,400.
"These vouchers were unused, spotless and folded together in one lot."
Garda Ó Braonáin said a concealed camera was installed and the next time Brennan was working he was watched. After observing him for a lengthy period of time he saw Brennan pocket an envelope.
"He had created a wall of folders and files around the area he was working in to hide himself but the camera was above him and clearly picked up his movements."
Brennan left the building some five minutes later and was arrested on the street outside.
A search of his car disclosed two books of Brown Thomas gift vouchers, largely filled with stubs, as well as other vouchers, known as Bonus Bonds, worth €75.
Judge Hogan said that while stealing from an employer was a serious betrayal of trust he did not think a custodial sentence was appropriate and he imposed a community service order of 240 hours.