Former Royal Navy officer stole £28,000 while managing Fort Blockhouse officers' mess in Gosport for ESS Compass Group

Dressed in a pristine suit with naval medals proudly emblazoned on it, thief Stephen Reeves, 49, appeared in the dock having spun a web of deceit.

He stole money while working as manager of the officers’ mess at military base Fort Blockhouse in Gosport.

Reeves, who admitted two charges of theft at Portsmouth Crown Court, took full advantage of his position by taking cash from the bar, organising private functions where customers had to pay in cash - then keeping it for himself - as well as failing to invoice properly and taking money from a safe.

The defendant also falsified records involving cash and prevented others from accessing a system where they could see financial transactions to allow himself to continue his underhand operation.

The court heard Reeves was on the take for three years, between March 2015 and May 2018.

He stole the majority of the £27,855.57 from his employer ESS Compass Group, who operated at the site, and just more than £350 from the Royal Navy.

Eventually Reeves was caught out after a ‘clear discrepancy’ was spotted in the accounts.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said: ‘After being questioned about the money Mr Reeves said: “I’ve taken it.”

‘He admitted telling customers to pay in cash and said he had taken between £15,000 - £17,000 but there was actually a lot more.’

He added: ‘The defendant made full admissions to his employer and police. He had intended to repay the cash but things got out of hand.’

Judge Roger Hetherington told Reeves, of Kipling Road, Portsmouth, that he had abused his position of trust.

He said: ‘Part of your duties were to record cash flows. You lied about taking money from the bar and arranged private functions before getting customers to pay in cash, as well as taking from the safe.

‘You falsely entered records to cover your tracks and even warded off a member of staff from accessing a system so they would not see what you were up to.’

The judge sentenced Reeves, of previous good character, to 16 months jail suspended for two years and ordered him to 100 hours unpaid work.