TWO men who scammed a transport company of more than £13,000 in stolen diesel have avoided jail.

Mark Farrow and Peter Shaw used a fuel card stolen from Middlesbrough-based Rapid Response Transport UK to repeatedly fill up vehicles at Morrisons filling stations.

Shaw was an ex-employee of the firm who was dismissed in 2014 and said to know where the fuel cards were kept on the company’s premises, prosecutor Paul Rooney told Teesside Crown Court.

Suspicions were raised when it was discovered that one fuel card was being used several times a day and different vehicle registrations were being inputted at self-service pumps.

Police checked CCTV footage at the filling stations where fuel was being bought and spotted a white van registered to Farrow. He was seen filling up the van, along with containers being kept in the back of the vehicle numerous times.

Shaw, meanwhile, filled up on two occasions a red Skoda Octavia he had hired from a taxi driver. His identity was confirmed by an account manager at the company.

When police examined Farrow’s mobile phone they found a phonebook entry in the name of Shaw, linking the two men.

Both men admitted conspiracy to defraud between August 24 and October 23, 2014.

Mr Rooney said the fraud displayed a degree of sophistication and involved significant planning. He said the company had recorded a £13,895 loss as a result.

However the loss for the period covering the charges was less, £6,481 in total.

Andrew Stranex, for Farrow, said he had always worked and continued to work.

He said: “He had significant personal issues at the time of this offending. However he has worked hard to get his life back on track.”

Nigel Edwards, for Shaw, handed a letter into the court in mitigation, while it was agreed that neither man had any previous convictions relevant to the case.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said the defendants had “taken advantage of temptation”.

Farrow, 38, of Langridge Crescent, Middlesbrough, received a six month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Shaw, 42, of Cotswold Avenue, Middlesbrough, was given a year-long community order and will do 80 hours unpaid work.