A MAN stole more than £3,600 in cash while he worked behind the bar for Worcester Warriors on match days, a court was told.

Jeremy Owen took the money from the rugby club over the course of a six-month period last season.

The 20-year-old, who had been a volunteer in other capacities for the Sixways side since he was a young teenager, admitted four charges of theft by employee when he appeared before Worcester’s magistrates on Tuesday.

Mark Johnson, prosecuting, said staff noticed that figures on the bar did not add up during stock checks in April.

He said: “What appears to have happened is they noticed when they were going through the stock checking procedure that each time the bar was open there was a shortfall when they compared the amount of money they were getting in in comparison to the amount of stock going out.

“They initially thought stock was going missing.”

Mr Johnson said the club made checks with the company that they store stock with.

“It later transpired that this defendant had been taking money from the till,” he said. “He had been selling the stock over the bar but was not ringing up the total amount of money taken and taking the money himself.”

Mr Johnson said police were called to the rugby club on Saturday, April 26, and officers found £170 on Owen’s person, as well as another £140 in his car.

Mr Johnson said further investigations were then carried out and officers found Owen, who was of previous good character, had taken £70 on Saturday, April 19, £80 on Saturday, April 5, and a total £3,197.10 from another 11 incidents between Friday, October 5, last year and Friday, April 4.

Mr Johnson said: “In fairness to this defendant, although the rugby club said it was trying to retrieve the funds I have it on file that they have no wish to see him go to prison.”

In mitigation, Andrew Childs said the rugby club must have valued Owen’s contribution as a volunteer over the years to not want him to go to prison.

“He used to go up there as a young teenager and gave assistance in other capacities,” he said.

“He’s a very traditional family man.”

Mr Childs said the thefts were serious but added the £310 discovered on Saturday, April 26, had already been recovered by the club.

Magistrates sentenced Owen, of Northwick Road, Bevere, Worcester, to carry out 100 hours unpaid work as part of a community order.

He was also made to pay £3,347.10 in compensation to Worcester Warriors, and £60 court costs.