'Manipulative' fraudster jailed for stealing £600k

Andrew Maxted lied about a previous conviction to secure a job

A serial fraudster who stole nearly £600,000 from his employer after lying to get a job has been jailed for nearly six years.

Andrew Maxted, 57, of Standish Gate, near Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, took the money from the building company where he worked as an accountant to buy luxury cars and holidays.

His crimes were only uncovered after forensic accountants were called in when Building Solutions went into voluntary liquidation in 2017.

Judge Ian Lawrie KC, the Recorder of Gloucester, described Maxted as a "thoroughly dishonest and deeply manipulative individual".

Gloucester Crown Court heard that Maxted had previously served a three-year prison sentence in 1996 for a "near identical" offence of conspiracy to defraud.

Rachael Skitt, prosecuting, told the court the offences at the Cheltenham-based firm were committed between October 2011 and October 2017 - shortly after Maxted was appointed as accounts manager.

Employed through a recruitment agency, he failed to declare his previous conviction.

'Extravagant lifestyle'

He moved money away from the company into his own account - some of which was shared with his ex-partner - and funded £15,000 in rent, as well as an "extravagant lifestyle" featuring expensive cars and holidays.

The court heard that in 2012 the company's directors were tipped off about Maxted's previous conviction, but when confronted he said he had been jailed for a motoring offence.

In a statement read to the court, director David Brennan said the family-run business had employed 30 people when it collapsed, including three father-son combinations.

'Worst thing'

He described the moment he had to tell them the company was collapsing as "the worst thing I had to do in my working life", adding there "were grown men crying in the office" who had "no explanation" for why the business had failed.

"Maxted's callousness was a betrayal of the trust placed in him," he said.

"The actions of this criminal have haunted my wife and I every day for the past six and a half years."

At a previous hearing, Maxted pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position valued at £596,497.29.

Matthew Harbinson, defending, said Maxted had two young children who would be deprived of seeing their father for several years.

Jailing Maxted for five years and eight months, Judge Lawrie KC said Maxted had demonstrated "a callous disregard for others" and "cowardice" after his behaviour became known in 2017.

"You are a man who would lie without hesitation or restriction when it suited you," he told Maxted.

"Through persistent greed you have selfishly betrayed the trust of people you worked with at an established and reputable company."