Company on ‘brink of collapse’ after accounts manager stole | UK | News
A family-run business is on the brink of collapse after its account manager steals (Image: Simon Greener/Newcastle Chronicle)
A family-run business was on the brink of collapse after its trusted account manager stole more than £767,000 to fund his gambling habit, a court heard. Susanne Redhead, who worked at Newcastle-based Pure Panel Management, abused her senior position to siphon off hundreds of thousands of pounds.
This put the livelihoods of friends and colleagues at risk in what was described as an “utterly disgusting” breach of trust. Redhead had been with the firm since 2010 and rose to the position of account manager, effectively operating without supervision in the accounting department. His crime was revealed in January 2025; Irregularities revealed he had repeatedly made payments to her, including £363,000 in December 2024 alone and a further £100,000 in the seven days before she confronted him.
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When instructed to quit immediately, Redhead told his employer: “I knew this would happen. I was gambling.”
An investigation later revealed he stole £767,272 between November 2023 and January 2025 through 445 separate transactions.
Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur said: “When the office was closed for Christmas he maximized the opportunity and completely deleted the accounts.”
After “taking it all” at Christmas 2024, the court was told the company was plunged into bankruptcy for the first time in its history.
In a victim impact statement, chief executive James Gillam said: “I am absolutely shocked and angered by his actions. “He has brought the company to the brink of collapse and could have devastated the lives of many families.
“He decided to steal every last penny from the company that had been looking after him for the last 15 years.”
Susanne stole more than £767,000 to fund her gambling addiction (Image: )
Mr Gillam said the company paid for an expensive trip, including drinks and other expenses, for staff to watch Newcastle United play in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. He added: “The other evening he stole £18 from the crew around him.
“I don’t know how anyone could do what he did. How could he come into the office acting normal when he stole nearly £800,000?
“We’re his old friends. He took advantage of it in the worst way possible.”
“You have devastated colleagues who treated you like a close friend and trusted you implicitly, and by shaking their trust you have put the company in danger of collapse.”
Penny Hall, defending, said: “Before he became involved in the money-taking business he never thought he would find himself sitting on the bench of the crown court looking at a prison sentence.
“He worked for this company for a long time and was well thought of. He had a gambling problem. He started by taking a small amount and thought he could pay it back.
The firm’s operations director, Helen Scorer, described his actions as “utterly disgusting” and said he was putting jobs at risk. He added: “He was part of our family and almost bankrupted us.”
Redhead will be subject to Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to try to recover any assets he may have.
