AN ISLAND hairdresser has been sentenced at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Friday), after he admitted stealing more than £16,000 from a Ryde salon.

Nathan Barrier-Close, 36, of Mary Rose Avenue, Wootton, pleaded guilty to theft by employee between January 2018 and November 2019, when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on June 16.

Judge Susan Evans heard how Barrier-Close had taken as much as £16,553 from Level Hair and Beauty in St Thomas Square, Ryde through fraudulent transactions.

Prosecutor, Edward Warren, said: "He was hired by Level Hair and Beauty some seven years ago. Manager, Genevieve Sanders, appointed him to a managerial role at his insistence about three years ago.

"Management had noticed that cash in the till had not quite been adding up.

"They naturally attributed this to human error and a meeting was held, but they had noticed that Mr Barrier-Close was the only one who had not been properly declaring his tips.

"One member of staff had told police that they had seen how Mr Barrier-Close was taking the money. They recall one instance where £20 was paid out from the till.

"When Mrs Sanders confronted him about it, he admitted to the thefts but could not say how much he had taken. He was then dismissed and the police were called."

The judge heard how Barrier-Close had originally told police that he had thought he had taken between £5,000 to £10,000. He had actually taken £16,553.

Defending, Elizabeth Bussey-Jones, said: "He accepts his guilt and shame in these thefts and he was completely honest about it from the moment he was confronted about it.

"He has never sought to dispute any figure that the salon put forward and he knows that he owes them that money."

Judge Susan Evans said: "You were placed in a position of trust three years ago when you were given a management position. You breached that trust when you found a way to steal from the till.

"I will not be making a collection order for the money stolen. Mrs Sanders deserves to be compensated, but it is not within the scope of this court to arrange this.

"I highly suggest you enter into a voluntary payment plan with Level Hair and Beauty. However, she could seek to reclaim the money through the civil courts."

Barrier-Close was given a six-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of £425.

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