A pub worker who embezzled more than £35,000 from the bar where he worked was slammed as "greedy" yesterday as he was jailed.
Graham Barr stole the money while cashing up the tills at the Canny Man bar.
Barr, 34, denied wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury of illegally taking £35,875.16 following a trial at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.
Defence solicitor Manus Tolland said Barr knew he would be jailed for stealing cash from the pub in Lugton, Ayrshire, between January 2016 and February 2018.
The lawyer added: "This has been the only stain on his adult life."
The court heard Barr was from a well-off family and has a £112,000 estate.
Sheriff Alistair Watson said the accused had been driven by selfishness after enjoying a "privileged and comfortable" upbringing.
The sheriff added: "You have been unanimously convicted of a significant offence.
"For two years you deliberately embezzled from your employers' daily takings. The takings were down £36,000.
"The owners of the premises thought it was performing significantly more poorly than it actually was.
"The abuse of the trust placed in you by your employer was driven not by any need, but simply by pure greed and nothing else.
"There's no alternative but to impose a significant custodial sentence."
He jailed Barr, of Stewarton, Ayrshire, for 30 months, and said: "It could easily have been longer, but I’m prepared to allow something for your good character up to you engaged in this conduct."
The sentence was backdated to September, when Barr was first remanded in custody.
The sheriff said: "You have been unanimously convicted of a significant offence.
"For two years you deliberately embezzled from your employers’ daily takings. The takings were down £36,000.
"The owners of the premises thought it was performing significantly more poorly than it actually was.
"The abuse of the trust placed in you by your employer was driven not by any need, but simply by pure greed and nothing else.
"There's no alternative but to impose a significant custodial sentence."
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