Bar manager stole from Hampshire social club to ‘pay off son’s £70,000 drug debt’

Shamed Damien Bannon, 42, of Richmond Road, Lee-on-the-Solent, admitted stealing £65,391.82 from The Solent Social Club’s accounts.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard he claimed to police that he took on his son’s debt and was making payments to dealers of £10,000 each time.

But judge William Ashworth, who learnt of payments made into Bannon’s own account, has ordered him to come back to court and give evidence on oath to prove his version of events.

Prosecutor Robert Harding said financial irregularities were uncovered in May last year at the club in Richmond Road, Lee-on-the-Solent.

Mr Harding said: ‘They confronted the defendant about it later on that day or a few days later, he essentially admitted to taking the money but said it was to repay the drug debt, said he’d stolen around £70,000 and repaid £4,500.

‘He was duly dismissed from the company.

‘The company informed the police. He was arrested and interviewed, and said he’d stolen around about £70,000, paid back around £4,500 in order to served a debt his son had in drugs.’

In a statement Robert Russell, from the club, said: ‘There’s now an air of mistrust and bad atmosphere between some staff and some members.’

He added the money stolen belonged to members but added: ‘Fortunately the club does have other investments so it’s not on the verge of shutting down.’

Day-to-day running of the club has been affected, the court heard.

Daniel Reilly told how Bannon had a difficult childhood and in the years before the theft was registered disabled weighing 34 stone, with his wife caring for him.

But he had surgery in late 2015 or early 2016 and managed to shed 16 stone - throwing himself into working six to seven days for up to 15 hours a day, which his wife found ‘extremely hard to deal with,’ Mr Reilly said.

Then in November he was told his son, also named Damien, was in debt to dealers. Bannon had been paying back £100 instalments to the bar’s petty cash float, Mr Reilly said.

Mr Reilly said the defendant took the course of action because he thought it was the ‘best way to protect his family given the nature of the individuals concerned with the debt’.

He added Bannon received WhatsApp messages asking to pay £10,000 just weeks apart. Mr Reilly said: ‘He never had that money, that’s why he took from the club.’

But judge Ashworth told the court there was evidence about gambling some of the money. Adjourning the case, he said: ‘My concern is this: that the mitigation put forward is one personally I am struggling to accept.’

He wanted to know if Bannon’s claim of ‘paying money to drug dealers are true or was the money put to some personal use?’

And he wanted to know when the cash was taken, adding: ‘Either in one month in May or the accounts have been doctored, massaged, somehow?’

Judge Ashworth also wants Bannon to explain where cash deposits in his account were coming from.

Sentencing will take place on March 7.