A BATHROOM salesman at T Brooker and Sons in Hitchin stole almost £12,000 by making ghost refunds to his own bank account. Darren Boss first stole to pay off a large phone bill but when he did not get caught it became a habit, Luton Crown Court was told

A BATHROOM salesman at T Brooker and Sons in Hitchin stole almost £12,000 by making "ghost" refunds to his own bank account.

Darren Boss first stole to pay off a large phone bill but when he did not get caught it became a habit, Luton Crown Court was told on Friday.

But when the company became suspicious they contacted customers who were shown as having refunds to find they had not returned anything to the store, said Thomas Elmer, prosecuting.

Boss, 22, of Milton View, Hitchin, pleaded guilty to stealing £11,959 between September 2005 and November this year.

He had worked for the firm for about three years and was the supervisor of the bathroom and tiling department.

He made immediate admissions when questioned. He said it was easy to do and turned into a habit. He spent the money on his car, a holiday and going out, and said he wanted to pay the money back.

Daniel Higgins, defending, said: "He was shocked but relieved when he was caught, because he had not been able to stop. He knows it was a serious breach of trust."

Recorder John Coffey QC gave Boss a nine-month prison sentence suspended for a year with 100 hours unpaid work. Proceedings will take place later to confiscate property for compensation.

He told him: "You resorted very readily to dishonesty and increased your income at your employer's expense and spent it in order to enhance your lifestyle.

"You have placed yourself in very real jeopardy and I have only just been persuaded not to immediately imprison you.