A THIEF stole from his employers by misusing a fuel card to plunder thousands of pounds of diesel to pay off spiralling cocaine and gambling debts.

Daniel Drury, 37, of Marlborough Road, Greenmeadow, Cwmbran, fleeced CMU Infrastructure Limited of £5,715.68 in under two months.

After the company found out and fired him, he soon got a job with Valley Water Services and ripped them off by £601.50 within days.

Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said Drury was hired as a gas maintenance layer by CMU Infrastructure Limited in October 2018 and provided with a company van.

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He was also supplied with a fuel card to pay for the diesel needed to fill up the vehicle as he went about his work.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how the defendant was caught on camera in the act of cheating his boss Conor McCloskey.

Mr Broadstock said: “CCTV captured him filling up drums and canisters rather than his own vehicle at a supermarket near to where he lived.”

The fuel was then sold on to others.

After he was dismissed by CMU Infrastructure Ltd, he got a job with Valley Water Services and was at it again after he repeated the ruse there.

Although he stole £601.50 from them, they were able to recover most of it and their loss was £247.50.

Drury pleaded guilty to two counts of theft.

The offences were committed between October 30 and December 19, 2018 and January 8-16, 2019.

Mr Broadstock added: “When the defendant was interviewed by the police, he said he had drink, drug and gambling problems.

“He told them he accumulated a number of debts and was trying to take extra cash to pay it off.”

The prosecutor said that Mr McCloskey revealed in his victim impact statement he had suffered “considerable stress and anxiety” as a result of his financial loss.

Gareth Williams, representing the married father-of three, said: “He has brought great shame on himself.”

His barrister added that his client was able to pay compensation to his victims.

Mr Williams told the court: “The defendant’s family rely on him as the main earner in their family unit.”

Judge Daniel Williams said to Drury: “Your pre-sentence report says you built up debts through cocaine use and then tried to pay them off by gambling.

“You have previous convictions, but they are irrelevant in this case.”

He sentenced him to a 12-month community order.

Drury must complete 120 hours of unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

The defendant has to pay CMU Infrastructure Ltd £1,750 in compensation and £247.50 to Valley Water Services.

Drury must also pay an £85 victim surcharge.