Newcastle-based estate agent Jan Forster has told a court of her distress, shame and sleepless nights after employee Ryan Freeman, 25, stole more than £195,000 from her firm and blew it all on gambling.

ChronicleLive reports that Ryan Freeman had been employed by Jan Forster Estates from 2014 when he was 16. He was put through an apprenticeship and trained up with an accountancy qualification.

FRAUDULENT

Newcastle Crown Court (main picture) heard that Freeman made 266 fraudulent transactions purportedly going to a landlord but was actually paid into his own account. His deceit was uncovered in 2021.

Freeman pleaded guilty to theft and false accounting and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with 250 hours unpaid work.

VICTIM

In a victim impact statement to the court, joint owner Jan Forster of Jan Forster Estates, said: “We have had to pay back money from our own savings to keep the business operational and this has affected our finances as a company and personally.

“His actions resulted in our mental wellbeing being affected substantially, with thoughts of the business potentially folding and we had sleepless nights.

“We had to change our business model as a result of this, which cost us a lot of time and money.

“We had to change our business model as a result of this, which cost us a lot of time and money.

“We have put future plans to expand the business on hold and have even had to close a branch, which we would not have done otherwise.

ASHAMED

“Not only do we feel embarrassed and ashamed, we feel completely let down by him and feel he has shown no remorse. We have absolutely no doubt had he not been caught, the crime would have been ongoing, potentially amounting to unthinkable amounts of money.”

Jan Forster was approached for comment.