A SCHEMING and “narcissistic” accountant has been jailed after stealing more than £250,000 from his employer – who was busy caring for his terminally ill wife.

Devious Christopher Sopp first started working for Sunderland-based Citroen dealership Town Centre Automobiles in 2001. Over the next few years he climbed the ladder and eventually became the company’s financial director – but his greed would almost bring the company to the brink of collapse.

Once in a position of trust, Sopp set about maximising his bank balance – paying himself large sums disguised within the company’s accounts. He also fraudulently obtained a pension and laundered money to award himself a pay rise – despite earning more than £70,000 a year, receiving free health care and long-haul holidays.

His deceit continued even when his boss, who was also his close friend, confided in him that his wife had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2010. When he took a step back from his role in 2015 to focus on his wife, Sopp continued to line his pockets.

Only when it was revealed Sopp, 53, had been having an affair did his colleagues start to doubt his honesty and the confidence in him began to disintegrate.

His lies were finally laid bare following an external audit of the company and police were contacted.

A victim impact statement written by Sopp’s former boss and close friend called him ‘cold calculating, manipulative and narcissistic before branding him ‘the worst type of criminal.’

The statement, which was read out in court said: “The discovery that Chris had stolen money and deceived everyone from within my company rocked me to my core. He took advantage of my brotherly love and respect for him.

“He was well paid and had additional benefits to his remuneration which included free health care, cars for himself, his wife and family, he even got free long-haul exotic holidays. However, due to his greed, self-inflated ego, his selfishness and arrogance, Sopp saw an opportunity to gain more for himself by betraying those who loved him most by stealing from them. I am shocked and disgusted someone I trusted so deeply could do something so deceitful.”

Speaking after the sentencing Detective Constable Sonya Phalp said: “Over the years Sopp worked his way up the ladder within the company, cultivating a friendly and trustworthy persona - yet this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“He stole £252,000 from a family-run company – playing the part of a professional businessman in public and in private laundering money, funnelling cash and covering his tracks at someone else’s expense.

“He used his knowledge and role as an accountant to cover up what he was doing and continued to pocket the cash and lie to everyone round him - including his friend and boss, who he knew was going through an incredibly difficult period as he struggled to come to terms with his wife’s illness, and then with her death shortly after.

“His actions were out of control, and I am pleased with the sentence handed down by the courts following a lengthy investigation. I hope it serves as a warning to others who think this kind of despicable offending is acceptable. Hopefully Sopp can now use this time to think about his selfish actions.”

Sopp, of Thornhill Park, Sunderland pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by employee and two counts of false accounting and was sentenced to three years imprisonment at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday (July 17.)

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been scheduled for a future date in an attempt to recover the stolen funds.