Wakefield man jailed for selling on employer's cars to buy luxury items

Keith Waud-Richard was described in court as someone who wanted to appear successful

A man who stole company cars worth more than £200,000 from his employer has been jailed for 38 months.

Keith Waud-Richard, from Wakefield, sold on 26 vehicles belonging to Provident Financial, spending some of the proceeds on designer goods.

The 54-year-old vehicle fleet adviser pleaded guilty to theft at a hearing at Bradford Crown Court in February.

Jailing him, Judge Jonathan Rose said Waud-Richard had "feathered his nest" with "irrelevant fripperies".

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Bradford Crown Court heard Waud-Richards, who had a salary of £27,000, had complete control over the disposal of company cars.

Investigators became suspicious due to his lifestyle and would discover about £18,000 in cash in the boot of his Mercedes SLK.

'Greed'

Prosecutor Adam Walker said in total more than £27,000 in cash was seized and luxury items, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci jewellery, worth nearly £10,000 were also recovered.

It emerged that Waud-Richard, of Trent Avenue, had sold on the vehicles, receiving their book value of £216,652.

David McGonigal, for the defendant, said his client suffered from a lack of self-esteem and had wanted to be seen as a successful businessman.

Judge Rose told Waud-Richard he had abused a position of trust.

"You were in possession of thousands of pounds in cash when your world came tumbling down, thankfully, by your arrest," the judge said.

He told the defendant that a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing would be held in July, "when we will begin the process of stripping you of all that you have acquired through your greed".

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