A RELIEF pub manager with a drink problem kept his own "personal float" from takings to supplement his income, a court heard.

But it reached the stage where James Isaac French could no longer afford to pay back his borrowings from the till at the Turks Head, in Bondgate, Darlington.

Durham Crown Court heard that discrepancies started to show up on weekly accounts submitted by computer to owners Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries.

Paul Newcombe, said there were shortfalls of £1,499 in the week ending December 21 last year, £1,500 the following week and £1,001 for the seven days up to January 18, totalling £4,000.

The brewery launched an investigation and bank books were examined.

A counterfoil was found to have been torn from a book covering the most recent paying-in period.

French, 23, was arrested and told police he had no experience in pub management.

He said he had been employed on October 1, last year, as assistant manager and, by December 12, was acting as relief manager.

Mr Newcombe said French, who admitted having a drink problem, told police he was borrowing to supplement earnings of about £250 a week.

French told police he had been drinking even more than usual while in charge at the pub.

Don MacFaul, in mitigation, said: "Essentially, he has had a problem with alcohol over some period of time.

"This offence began with him having this personal float, which he became unable to pay back from his wages. It was inevitable it would be detected."

French, of Neasham Close, Stockton, Teesside, admitted theft.

Recorder Fiona Davies said it was an unsophisticated course of dishonesty, and that because of his lack of a record, she would not impose a custodial sentence.

He was ordered to perform 100 hours of community punishment work, undergo a two-year rehabilitation order, and pay £400 compensation.