Sutton bus driver stole £74,000 from his employer and colleagues at Trent Barton

Andrew Berry joined Trent Barton in 2004 and went on to become one of its lead drivers, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

The 37-year-old was a highly-regarded and trusted member of staff, but the court heard he abused that trust by stealing tens of thousands of pounds.

His crimes were discovered in March 2020, when he was furloughed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In his absence, management went over the accounts and it became apparent Berry had been using his position to steal cash.

He was arrested and admitted fraud by abuse of position of trust and theft.

The court heard that, as a lead driver, Berry was trusted to manage revenue from the firm’s Sutton Travel shop, on Lammas Road, as well as its Busman club, a scheme where staff pay a monthly membership fee which gives them access to subsidised food and other benefits.

In 2017, a NatWest bank account was opened purely for the canteen funds and, as a trusted staff member, Berry was tasked with managing the account.

When Berry was placed on furlough, Trent Barton management examined the canteen bank statements and noticed a string of payments totalling £11,993 to a HSBC account, which was soon identified as Berry’s own.

Nottinghamshire Police began an investigation and fraud officers found multiple cash payments had been paid into Berry’s account between December 2016 and March 2020 from the Busman account.

The investigation found he stole £74,273 from Trent Barton and his colleagues in total.

Berry, of Willow Gardens, Sutton, was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years, and must attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Marc Lancaster, of Nottinghamshire Police’s fraud investigation unit, said: “Berry held a significant position of trust and was highly regarded by his colleagues for many years.

“The fact he betrayed that trust over such a long period of time left came as a huge shock to his employers and it is right he was put in the dock to answer for his crimes.”