Restaurant manager in jail for theft of $140,000

Former restaurant manager Vijay Singh who stole $139,112 to feed his gambling addiction is now behind bars. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A restaurant manager created an elaborate scheme so he could steal nearly $140,000 from his employer to feed his gambling addiction.

Vijay Singh, 30, was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court yesterday to 21 months behind bars after pleading guilty to a charge of theft.

In April 2008 Singh was promoted to manager at the Tauranga Lone Star Restaurant.

Between 2008 and the end of August last year, Singh stole $139,112 from the restaurant's takings after devising a system where he would create a fake table number and transfer the cost of patrons' meals to that table.

He then deleted the cost of the meals so there was no trace in the cash up.

Singh told police he was under stress and had a gambling habit.

Crown prosecutor Hayley Booth argued for a jail sentence of between two-and-half to three years before discounts for his guilty plea and any mitigating factors were allowed.

Ms Booth said not only had Singh's employer suffered a loss but could still have to pay tax on the stolen funds.

"I don't accept there has been any remorse shown other than what is inherent in the guilty plea. There has been no letter of apology handed to the court nor any offer by the prisoner to make amends," Ms Booth said.

Ms Booth said the victims had turned down Singh's offer to participate in a restorative justice meeting because they were yet to receive an apology from him and Singh was disputing how much he had taken.

Singh's lawyer Vicki Scott argued for home detention and urged the judge to consider that Singh was a first-time offender with a gambling addiction.

"This offending is characterised by someone with a gambling addiction. I accept Mr Singh's culpability is affected by the frequency and the amount stolen but his offending was not motivated by greed, nor was he living a lavish lifestyle," she said.

Mrs Scott asked the judge to take into account Singh had banned himself from more than 50 gambling venues around the city.

Singh's pregnant wife and young son would suffer without him, she said.

Judge Louis Bidois told Singh he had almost crippled the victim's business. He said while he was prepared to accept there was some remorse shown by him, it would send the wrong message if Singh was granted home detention.