AN AYR bank worker embezzled thousands from pensioners’ accounts to pay for his gambling addiction.

William Kirkpatrick, 24, admitted transferring the cash into his own account while working at the Bank of Scotland branch on the town’s High Street over a three-month period in 2021.

When the Larghill Lane resident appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing last week, procurator fiscal depute Craig Wainwright said: “At the time the accused was an employee of the Bank of Scotland as a customer service advisor. He had access to customers’ bank accounts and cash.

“The accused was working at the locus and carried out a transfer of £1,260 from an account belonging to a member of the public into his own bank account.

“On April 13 the accused targeted the same member of the public, taking £1,000.

“On May 10, the accused targeted another member of the public, taking £1,000

“On May 26, June 1 and June 4, the accused targeted the same person, each time taking £1,000.

“The accused did the same again on June 10, this time taking £1,500. On June 14 he took £2,000.

“From March 14 to June 14 he took £9,760.

“On the June 14 the banking systems alerted a senior investigator regarding the accused processing cash withdrawals from his machine noted business cash transfers into his own account.

“He was interviewed at the bank on July 1 and made full admissions. On July 5 the accused resigned.

“He paid back £2,500 and forfeited his pension. On September 29 the matter was reported to police.

“On January 11 the accused attended Ayr police office and was arrested in relation to the offence.

“In the interview he made full and frank admissions to embezzlement, spending on his gambling addiction.”

He added: “The complainers were all elderly and had not known initially. The money was refunded by the bank.”

Defence solicitor Peter Lockhart said: “He made full frank admissions to his former employers and police.

"He deeply regrets what he’s done. He was in a bad place and extremely sorry. He will have to live with it the rest of his life.

“He was in a position of trust as a good employee, with a good record, but during lockdown boredom set in. He began gambling then it escalated.

“It was a classic gambling scenario and took money thinking of the next win, but the next win never came.

“There was no loss to customers.”

Sheriff Siobhan Connolly said: “This is a very serious matter – an individual in a position of trust embezzling a significant sum.

“This type of offence could see imprisonment imposed. I have considered this carefully, however I take account it is your first offence and you were under 25 at the time.

’For that reason I’m prepared to impose a high tariff community payback order with supervision for 18 months and 200 hours of unpaid work.

“You will also be subject to a restriction of liberty order for two months.”