A DELIVERY driver who used a company credit card to steal more than £2,000 claimed it was revenge for money he felt he was owed, a court heard.

Ken Flint of Kelloe, near Coxhoe, County Durham, was spared prison after stealing £2,135.91 in 24 hours. He admitted 12 charges of fraud by abuse of position and one of theft.

The 25-year-old worked as a delivery driver for P&M Curry and was expected to make 19 daily drop-offs.

Normally company owner Mark Curry filled the vehicles with fue but on Sepetmber 2 last year Flint called him saying he needed fuel.

Prosecutor Sarah Traynor, told magistrates in Newton Aycliffe, that Flint was given the business credit card.

Shortly afterwards Flint was unable to be traced and his bosses later found his van full of undelivered parcels at the works depot.

Mrs Traynor said: “It was discovered that the credit card had been used to make two transactions of £350 each.

She said they immediately contacted the bank to cancel the credit card and were advised that any purchases made before then which had not yet gone through the system could still go through.

“On September 3 and 4 a number of transactions went through," she added.

“Flint also had a work’s Blackberry (mobile phone). T-Mobile contacted Mr Curry to say that the phone had exceeded its monthly minutes total by 385 minutes. This meant a bill for £192.20.”

Flint was arrested but gave no explanation for his actions.

John Relton, mitigating, said: “Flint worked for a week at P&M Curry and then asked for his pay.

“He was told he would be paid fortnightly. Then after two weeks he was told he would be paid monthly and it didn’t appear to be like that for the other staff.

“He felt that he was owed three to four times the amount of money he took. He can do no more than apologise to the court.”

The magistrates imposed an 18-week jail sentence on each charge to run concurrently suspended for a year.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

No compensation was awarded to the company but Flint may now face civil court action for that.