A FATHER-OF-FOUR has escaped jail after fraudulently transferring thousands of pounds from Stanton Manor Hotel where he worked at the time as an accounts manager.

Stephen John Whatley, 41, of Beatrice Street, Gorse Hill, was given a suspended sentence at North Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court on Monday on four counts of fraud.

He pleaded guilty to transferring £13,592 from the hotel’s bank account in to his partner’s account to buy land for a holiday home in Bulgaria between October 2009 and March 2010.

He also admitted transferring £1,705 from the hotel bank account to pay off a personal loan between February and October 2010, and a separate charge of transferring £793 to pay off a debt on August 6, 2010.

The father-of-four also pleaded guilty to overpaying his wages by £1,993, the equivalent of £110 per week.

In a statement read out by the prosecution, Robert Davis, the hotel owner and company director, said Whatley’s “incompetance” in running the hotel’s finances resulted in the hotel losing thousands of pounds.

Mr Davis was even forced to inject £80,000 of cash in to the business, selling cars and a flat, in a bid to keep the hotel from going in to liquidation.

“It will take me several years to pay off debts,” his statement read. “There’s no certainty that we won’t eventually have to put the company into liquidation.

“Mr Whatley’s behaviour has had a massive impact on me and my staff and I regret ever trusting him.”

The hotel were first alerted to something wrong in the accounts when they noticed Whatley’s salary was incorrect.

Defending Whatley, Tony Nowogrodzki of BLB Solicitors, said: “He (Whatley) has showed genuine remorse from the start and he acknowledged that what he did was wrong and that it was a foolish thing for him to do,” he said. “He’s ashamed to be here.

“What came as a wake-up call was the fact that his wife was arrested as well and the last thing he wanted to do was to involve his wife Libby as well.

“What he now says is that he doesn’t know how those around him are going to cope if he’s sentenced to custody.”

Whatley’s partner, who he has a son with, is expecting a baby in October.

“In the cold light of day, he (Whatley) has got his whole life in front of the bench,” his defence said. “It’s not something he takes pleasure in.”

Magistrate Lady Maria Pitt sentenced Whatley to a two-year suspended sentence and 150 hours’ unpaid work in the community and a one-year supervision order. He was ordered to pay compensation of £750 to Stanton Manor Hotel.