Cookstown chef stole £1,250 from his employer

A COOKSTOWN chef who stole £1,250 from his employer claimed he did it because staff had not been paid their tips.

Dungannon Magistrates Court heard between August 23 and 27, 2024, 22 money bags containing roughly £1,000 to £1,500 had went missing from the business where Jason Shaw was employed.

Upon checking CCTV footage, Shaw, (34) of Millburn Park, Cookstown, was seen taking the money bags.

It was stated that Shaw showed ‘no remorse’ for his actions and denied the accusations when interviewed by police.

A defence solicitor told the court Shaw claimed he had ‘taken tips’ that he was entitled to as they had not been administered monthly as they should have been.

He said Shaw had a clean record and described the case as a ‘breach of trust’.

The court also heard that Shaw is a ‘family man’, who has been ‘working hard’ since the age of 18.

District Judge Rafferty told Shaw that he was ‘entitled to maintain his innocence’.

Judge Rafferty noted Shaw’s low likelihood of re-offending and said the case was ‘a classic breach of trust’.

Shaw was handed a four month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay back £1,250 to the business.