Catering manager at Bradford City and Rotherham United stole £45,000 from safes

Christopher Shaw disappeared into hiding for more than two years with the cash and around £15,000 plundered from the safe at Rotherham United Football Club.

Shaw, 53, of Thompson Road, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to stealing £45,000 from his employer, the Centerplate Ltd venue and event catering company, between May 4 and 10, 2017.

He was spared immediate imprisonment by Judge Richard Mansell QC after Bradford Crown Court heard Shaw was overwhelmed by his workload at the time and had thought about taking his own life.

“This was a once in a lifetime error of spectacular proportions,” Judge Mansell said.

Prosecutor Imran Khan said Shaw was the catering manager for both Bradford City and Rotherham Football Clubs.

After the Bradford City midweek fixture, he cashed up from the food bars at the Valley Parade Stadium and stayed in the city overnight to hand the money from the safe to G4S the next day.

But that Friday, the security firm did not turn up and Shaw said he would return to Bradford the following Wednesday to give G4S the £30,000.

He went to work at the Centerplate head office at the New York Stadium in Rotherham for the next few days, Mr Khan said.

But on the Thursday, he failed to turn up and his line manager became suspicious.

Shaw had been to an Iron Maiden concert at Sheffield Arena the previous evening instead of meeting G4S in Bradford. His phone was switched off and he had deleted his social media accounts.

When the safe was checked at Rotherham, between £18,000 and £20,000 was believed to be missing, Mr Khan said.

Shaw was the only one with a key to the Bradford City FC safe. A locksmith was called in to open it and £30,000 was gone.

Shaw wrote a note to his ex-partner saying he was depressed and had “done something stupid” by stealing money.

He was wanted by the police for more than two years, living off the money at various bed and breakfast lodgings.

When he was arrested, he was immediately frank with the police and pleaded guilty to the offence on September 30 at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court.

Shaw’s barrister, Lorena Veale, said he was a man of positive good character with numerous references from family members, friends and a former manager.

“He will carry these offences with him for the rest of his life,” she said.

Shaw took on the role of catering manager for both football clubs and was overwhelmed by the workload. He did not feel able to tell his bosses and was under so much pressure he even considered taking his own life.

He stole the money to escape from the pressure but he was constantly looking over his shoulder fearing the police were closing in on to him.

Since then, Shaw had been helping his family and friends during the coronavirus pandemic.

Miss Veale said of the theft: “It was an ill-judged decision influenced by his poor mental state at the time.”

Judge Mansell sentenced Shaw to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 30 rehabilitation activity days, and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He made a nominal £1 confiscation order, saying Shaw had no money left to pay back the £45,000.