THE managing director of a firm, which almost went to the wall because of a book keeper’s systematic theft, has slated her sentence.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,” Ryan Lewington, boss of In-tech Telecom said, after former employee Poyan Thomas was spared a prison sentence.

Thomas syphoned more than £24,000 from the Chandler’s Ford company, which she joined in September, 2005.

Invoices Initially she was an employee but later became self-employed, working partly from home and sending in monthly invoices for payment.

But Southampton Crown Court heard the 49-year-old stole more than £24,000 by falsifying a purchase ledger and cheque book stubs.

She left the firm in March, 2008 and it was not until her successor took over that her deceit came to light, when he came across financial discrepancies.

Prosecutor Scott Stemp said: “As a result of the defendant’s actions, In-tech Telecom suffered financial problems and directors had to borrow funds. The jobs of 15 employees were put at risk.

“The company is now however back on course.”

Thomas, of Chaucer Close, Fareham, pleaded guilty in July to four counts of fraud and two of abusing a position of trust and sentence was adjourned for the money to be repaid.

When she returned to court, she handed over a bankers draft to cover the sum.

She was then given six months supervision and told to carry out 100 hours unpaid work for the community.

However Mr Lewington, described the sentence as “an absolute disgrace”.

‘No apology’ He told the Daily Echo that over the two years it had taken for the case to be concluded, she made no effort to say sorry and made it hard for the police.

“I think she should have been jailed. If not that, she should have got very much longer community service.

“It doesn’t seem fair from our point of view. We had to borrow wages to help wages and at the same time she was stealing from us.

“But that was two years ago. It was then a very difficult period but we are now in a different position and we are financially more stable.”