“Loving husband” Aron Sheridan wanted to treat his wife, who had become depressed after the tragic death of her mother.

So he spent money on evenings out and decorating their new home to cheer her up.

Only he used £19,000 which he had "borrowed" from Upstreet’s Grove Ferry Pub, where he was the general manager.

Judge Adele Williams told Sheridan’s barrister: “£19,000? That’s an awful lot of evenings out and a lot of decorating!”

Defence counsel Paul Hogben replied: “I think there were a few holidays as well”.

But his plea that Sheridan, of Landsdown Road, Canterbury be given a suspended sentence for the breach of trust was rebuffed.

And he was jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to pocketing the cash during the eight months he was the general manager until July last year.

Prosecutor John Fitzgerald told Canterbury Crown Court how the 33-year-old man’s thieving was exposed when owners Yummy Pubs carried out an audit.

Sheridan was confronted and admitted “borrowing” the money – and offered to hand back £6,000...if he could keep his job!

But he was sacked and police were alerted and arrested him, the court heard.

Mr Hogben said that in October 2012 Sheridan's mother-in-law was “tragically killed” in a car crash – leaving his wife “distraught and depressed.”

He added: “Sheridan, being a loving husband, was also affected and tried to help his wife.

"But he made a big mistake when he ‘borrowed’ his employers’ money for evenings out for his wife and decorating the home they had to move into.”

He said the former general manager admitted the theft immediately and paid back £6,000 immediately, together with his wages for that month £1,580. He has also repaid a further £800 since then.

"In my judgement this is way too serious a breach of trust in taking money from your employers" - Judge Adele Williams

Mr Hogben said that immediately following his sacking he was given a job at a Canterbury restaurant.

“He has worked his way up to head chef and is almost a manager at a second restaurant owned by the same man.”

The defence lawyer asked that Sheridan’s jail sentence be suspended so he could keep his £1,300 a month post and repay Yummy Pubs at £300 a month.

But Judge Williams told him: “In my judgement this is way too serious a breach of trust in taking money from your employers.”

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