During a ten-month period, Belvoir’s Edinburgh manager, Ross Young, admitted stealing more than £16,000 from his employers between January and October 2019.

According to Edinburgh Live, Young was creating fake invoices for work that was never carried out on a number of the agency’s properties. He was only caught after an accounts manager became suspicious of his activities and raised concerns.

Promoted to general manager after three months

Young was first employed at the office in 2018 as a salesperson but was promoted to general manager three months later.

His management duties included hiring staff and promoting the company, as well as having access to the firm’s computer systems and its credit card.

After the account manager’s suspicions were aroused, an investigation was launched and the contractors that had carried out the work detailed in the invoices were contacted. When they confirmed that they had not undertaken any of the work in question, the police were informed.

He left Belvoir in 2019 but before committing his crimes had enjoyed a blemish-free 15-year career since leaving school working mostly for estate agencies.

Fake invoices

Edinburgh Sheriff Court’s records show that a total of £16,680 was raised from the fake invoices, which was then transferred into an account owned by Young.

Young, who is from Colinton, Edinburgh, had initially been charged with embezzling £31,154, but that figure was amended just before he made his guilty plea.

Sheriff Francis Walls has deferred sentencing to next month while a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment are prepared. Young’s solicitor, Paul Dunn, said he would reserve his mitigation until then.

According to his LinkedIn page, Young has been working at a leading online estate agency. But the company has made it clear to The Negotiator that he was only ever on a short-term contract and had ceased working with the firm over five years ago.

Picture: Edinburgh Sheriff Court.