A SUPERMARKET duty manager who stole £14,000 from the safe at work and fled to the Czech Republic has been spared jail.

Magistrates were told Dominic Hoggard took the cash and headed for Prague after his marriage of 12 years collapsed.

But once there his brother talked him into contacting the authorities and he was arrested when he landed at Newcastle International Airport, having blown £2,000.

The rest of the money was returned to the Co-operative in Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, where he worked.

David Lee, prosecuting at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, said: “He created a situation where he would not be noticed.

“During this time he helped himself to £14,000 cash from his employer.”

The court was told Hoggard took a bus to Durham and train to London and then another train to Paris before taking a plane to Prague.

Mr Lee said: “You may take the view it is a most strange set of circumstances.”

Hoggard, 34, of Parkgate, Darlington, who is of previous good character, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of February 29.

Mike Clarke, mitigating, said: “Mr Hoggard would have to accept that it was committed while he was in a position of trust.

“There was some planning, but not a significant amount of planning.

“It was reaction, an impulsive response.

“When he was in Prague he did everything right in the sense that he contacted people in England and arranged to return the money.”

The court heard the father-of-two was trying to rebuild his life, had found new accommodation and a job in a call centre in Darlington.

Alison Hobson, the court officer with the National Probation Service, who interviewed Hoggard before sentence was passed, said: “It was poor decision-making. It was impulsive and reckless.”

Hoggard was given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended for a year, ordered to pay £2,008 in compensation to the Co-operative and must complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

After the hearing he said: “I am very sorry for what happened.

“I was going through a time of emotional anguish and made a very bad decision.

“I want to put it right now and move on with my life.”