Former assistant manager of Weymouth hotel jailed after stealing more than £12,000

Martin Weaver, 44, was initially employed as a restaurant manager at Shelley’s restaurant in March 2017, before he convinced the Richmoor Hotel’s owner, Loriane Hillier, to become the assistant manager at the hotel.

But following a tip-off from a local businessman, Mrs Hillier discovered he was fraudulently using the hotel’s bank cards to purchase items for himself from Booker wholesalers and carried out false refunds to his own cards.

Between February 8, 2018 and July 17, 2018, he stole a total of £12,656.87 from the business.

Following an investigation spanning several months, Weaver, of Gladstone Road in Scarborough, was arrested by police and charged with fraud.

He pleaded guilty at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on November 25. Weaver was sentenced to 12 months in prison in York Crown Court on Thursday, December 10.

Hotel owner tipped off by businessman about Weaver's fraud 

Prosecuting, Peter Byrne, told York Crown Court how Weaver carried out his fraudulent activity under the nose of his boss – and how she caught wind of his illegal behaviour.

He said: “Mrs Hiller knew a local business owner in the town and he and the defendant had gone into business together owning and running a convenience store.

“He contacted Mrs Hillier after he found stock Mr Weaver had brought into the shop to sell, and he suspected it was from the local wholesalers that the hotel had an account with.

“A review of the hotel’s wholesaler account reveals some small purchases on May 12, 2018 and then there was a break before a number of larger purchases were made on May 20, and then June and July. Just over £3,100 had been spent.

“The purchases had been made using a card issued to the hotel’s account with the wholesalers. Mrs Hiller enquired with the wholesalers who confirmed using CCTV that he had made the purchases.”

• SEE MORE - Owner's relief after fraudulent man admits stealing £12,000 

Mrs Hiller also noted “unusual” activity with a number of refunds and noted Weaver must have “intercepted” a hotel bank card used for carrying out this transaction.

Between February 8 until June 8, 2018, there had been 28 refunds to the sum of £5,198.30 to one card belonging to Weaver while a further 11 refunds, to the value of £3,975, were made to another of his cards.

He also paid £600 to a local caravan park using the hotel’s credit card.

Evidence of Weaver’s fraudulent actions were passed over to the police, who arrested him in July after he had been followed to the hotel by Mrs Hillier’s husband.

Mr Byrne added: “He was followed home by Mrs Hillier’s husband, and he attended the hotel and said ‘I’m sorry, it is all my fault. I take full blame’ before being arrested by a police officer.”

Despite his initial admission to Mrs Hillier, he offered no comment during police interviews and was later charged with fraud.

'I was not going to lose my business which I thought I was going to'

Loraine Hillier, owner of Richmoor Hotel in Weymouth

Loraine Hillier, the owner of Richmoor Hotel for the past 22 years, spoke via video link and told the court of the emotional and mental toll caused by Weaver’s actions.

Mrs Hillier recalled how she was “really impressed” by Weaver’s CV and personality and how he became assistant manager at the Richmoor Hotel while she juggled multiple businesses.

“Very quickly he talked me out of using him as the restaurant manager and talked me into helping with being an assistant manager and taking on the finances and to generally help”, she said.

“His personality made him become like one of the family and we supported him throughout the time he lived at the hotel for several months.”

Mrs Hillier was left stunned by Weaver’s actions and carried out a “very stressful” investigation to gather the evidence while Weaver continued to steal from the hotel.

Since the arrest, she spoke of the “two-and-a-half years of hell” she endured, which included financial issues, strain on her marriage and how Weaver threatened to “see me be destroyed”.

She even feared his actions would cause her to lose her businesses.

Weaver suffered stroke and tested positive for coronavirus

Defending, Mrs Taryn Turner, said Weaver has a number of medical conditions, including undergoing dialysis treatment three times a week, a recent heart attack and suffered a stroke in July. He also tested positive for Covid-19 in late November.

She said: “He is taking quite a combination of drugs. He has had a stroke in the Summer of this year which he received hospital treatment and needing physiotherapy because it left him devoid of speech and capability was severely compromised.

“He tells me he has daily care which is provided to him by his ex-wife.

“The most important factor is the fact that the defendant admits his guilt. While it can be said he was less than coming in the police interview, he very quickly came to his senses.”

She added Weaver wished to repay the money stolen, but stated he was not fit for regular employment unless he continued his recovery from the stroke.

Weaver 'abused' owner's trust and has had 'a significant detrimental effect upon her'

Ignoring Mrs Turner’s suggestion for a suspended prison sentence, Judge Simon Hickey, blasted Weaver’s behaviour and how he defrauded a “hard working lady” for his own financial gain.

He said: “It came to light when she discovered what was going on, and her husband confronted you and you had the wit to say ‘I’m sorry, I take full blame’ but sadly said nothing in your police interview.

“The victim was linked in today and to summarise what she had to say, is effectively you ingratiated yourself into her life and she trusted you completely.

“She was a hard working lady and effectively vulnerable because she was taking on, at great expense to her health and finances, another property next door while you were defrauding her and she was relying on you.

“It was a significant breach of trust in my judgment and I can see it has had a significant detrimental effect upon her, as I can see financially and emotionally, and on her relationship as she struggled to cope with what you have done.”

Weaver was jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge.