Cocaine addict Craig Oswald Stockham was given a remarkable chance when he was released from prison for defrauding a charity, as his
long-term friend gave him a job to get him back on his feet.

But Stockham repaid that kindness by defrauding his friend’s two companies out of more than £31,000.

When asked by police where all the money had gone, he said it had gone “up his nose” and there was nothing left.

Stockham, of Green Bank Villas, Church Street, Flint, admitted that at Halkyn Street, Holywell, he defrauded Ideal ICR Group Ltd out of £31,197 while in a position of trust.

The 36-year-old was jailed for two years.

Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Mold Crown Court yesterday, told Stockham: “What a depressing story!”

He said “an act of true kindness” had been thrown back into a good friend’s face.

Knowing he had been convicted and imprisoned for stealing from a charity, his friend Kevin Russell Warburton gave him an opportunity of work, investing his faith and trust in him.

“You abused that with repeated acts of taking money so that you could fund a drugs habit.

“More than £31,000 of that firm’s money has gone and there is no prospect of it being recovered.”

To make matters worse Stockham was on licence from the previous sentence when his offending began.

Stockham, the judge said, had been in a high degree of trust, but the repeated unauthorised transactions when he paid company money into his own account went on over a lengthy period of time.

Prosecuting barrister Ffion Tomos said Stockham’s employer ran two companies, Arrow Fire and Arrow Secure.

Mr Warburton had known him for many years and was aware of the previous conviction. But he decided to give him a chance and employed him as purchasing manager.

His £1,200 monthly salary was transferred into his personal account, but after three months he started to make unauthorised payments into his account.

An investigation showed a total of 86 unauthorised transactions had taken place.

Stockham was dismissed, he handed himself in to police and made full and frank admissions in interview.

He said he was spending between £100 and £150 a day on cocaine.

When asked where the money had gone, Stockham said it had simply gone up his nose and there was nothing left, Miss Tomos explained.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Warburton told how the offending had a massive financial impact on the company.

The unauthorised transactions left the firm overdrawn.

“I feel that I have been betrayed by someone I put trust in to put his life back on track after previous issues,” he said.

Mr Warburton now had to deal with a financial burden which was created through no fault of his own.

The court heard how in 2014 the defendant was convicted of defrauding a non-profit making company, a charity where he worked as a financial director.

He had taken £29,169 from Livewire and Culture Warrington, which managed leisure services for Warrington Borough Council, and was jailed for 16 months.

Defending barrister Myles Wilson said his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity after he had made admissions to the police.

He knew it had to be custody – and a longer sentence than last time.

Stockham had let everyone down, including his parents and Mr Warburton, who had both given him a second chance.

But there had been little or no prospect of success – the books were about to be sent to an
external accountant.

“There was a lack of sophistication. He was always going to be caught,” Mr Wilson said.

The defendant had expressed remorse and he had written a letter of apology to the victim.

“They go back a long way,” added Mr Wilson.

It was his addiction to cocaine which was behind his offending and thanks to assistance from a charity he had been able to kick the habit.

“He has taken a long hard look at himself and he is now drugs free,” Mr Wilson said. 

“But he knows that he has to face the music today.”