by Keith Hunt

A company cashier systematically stole £250,000 over 10 years before his dishonesty was discovered, a court heard.

John Schembri devised a sophisticated system to cover his tracks at freight forwarding company Davies Turner Southern Ltd at Edisons Park in Dartford.

"He was, in simple terms, robbing Peter to pay Paul," said prosecutor Edmund Fowler.

It was not until the foreign accounts supervisor finally noticed a discrepancy that an investigation was launched and Schembri was rumbled.

The 43-year-old father, of Marmion Way, Ashford, was jailed for three years after admitting theft.

A judge told him: "This is a particularly serious case. You were in a position of trust in dealing with your employers' money."

Maidstone Crown Court was told that Schembri ran into debt and resorted to loan sharks, who charged high interest rates and made threats if payments were not made.

Judge Michael Carroll said spending about £500 on a season ticket for Crystal Palace Football Club could not be regarded as one of life's necessities.

"It is not supermarket shopping for five mouths to feed," he said. "It is an absolute luxury."

Mr Fowler said Schembri started work at the company in 1986 as a trainee accounts clerk and became a cashier in 1992. His salary reached £22,000 a year.

Suspicions were aroused in 2008 over a cheque for just over £1,800.

"The whole accounting process was looked into and the fraud was discovered," said the prosecutor. "This was an ongoing rolling situation. It became quite sophisticated."

When interviewed by police, he said he was spending a lot on travelling from Ashford to Dartford and got into debt. He started stealing small amounts and it grew and grew.