A GWENT firm's financial controller took more than £18,000 from the company account to cover losses on his struggling pub, a court was told.

Forty-eight year-old Jonathan Powell, of The Grove, Pontllanfraith, took the money, totalling £18,118, from the account of Carlisle Brake Products, of Pontypool, during a four-month spell from May 2009.

He escaped prison after His Honour Judge Mark Furness, sitting at Newport Crown Court, suspended a 30-week sentence for two years.

That Powell admitted the matter to his bosses when the discrepancies were discovered, and was sacked, agreeing to pay back the money.

But just £1,700 had been returned before the police were called in. Powell pleaded guilty to a fraud charge.

Judge Furness told him Carlisle Brake Products had placed him in a position of trust that he had broken, using the company credit card in his name when it was intended only for company purposes.

"You used it for personal transactions because you were running a pub at a loss. You used it to support that loss-making enterprise," said Judge Furness.

Powell, of previous good character, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He and his partner have put a property they own up for sale and the balance would be used to repay the outstanding money.

"I do not expect you ever thought you would be standing in the dock of a crown court," said Judge Furness.

"I just feel able to suspend your sentence but you have come within a whisker of losing your liberty."

Powell was also given an 18-month supervision order and told to attend a Thinking Skills programme to develop appropriate thinking and problem solving skills.

"You need this because it is quite clear you were not thinking properly when you stole this money," said Judge Furness, who gave Powell a year to repay the outstanding sum.