Accountant who stole £188,000 to fund 'City Boy' lifestyle jailed

The judge said David Gowans had been living "high on the hog"

An accountant who used his employer "as a cash cow" to fund a "City Boy lifestyle" has been jailed.

David Gowans, from Hemel Hempstead, had previously pleaded guilty to stealing £188,000 from Alpha Browett Taylor.

St Albans Crown Court heard that despite the fraud the 53-year-old currently has "no assets".

Sentencing him to four years, Judge Philip Grey said Gowans had shown "brazen dishonesty" while "living high on the hog".

The court heard he spent the money on an extravagant lifestyle, including £30,000 on expensive holidays.

Gowans, from Gadebridge Point, appeared for sentencing for fraud and false accounting between January 2013 and August 2017.

Prosecutor Gerard Renouf said Gowans changed the bank account details of the property and asset management company's contractors to his own account.

He also made out fake invoices.

When asked by Hertfordshire Police why he did it, he said: "Because I could."

He added he may have had a vendetta against the owner of the company, Richard Hutt.

Mr Renouf said Gowans had taken the money "to maintain a 'City Boy' lifestyle and wine and dine his partner".

In a victim statement, Mr Hutt, 67, said he had worked seven days a week to repay clients.

'Frittered away'

Jide Lanlehin, for the defence, said his client has no money, is not working and has a serious medical condition.

He said: "He has no assets and is not in a position to pay compensation."

Jailing Gowans, Judge Grey said: "With brazen dishonesty you used your role to line your own pockets.

"You used it to inflate a standard of living. You were living high on the hog. You frittered away just under £190,000 that was not yours."

Adding that Mr Hutt's anger "is entirely justified," he said: "You used his company as a cash cow."