Gin expert jailed after stealing over £100K from distillery company which hired him to help

A gin expert stole thousands of pounds from a new business he'd been hired to help.

Thomas Masters was headhunted by a gin distillery company for his expertise in the subject, but whilst company director he stole around £143,000, which he then used to gamble.

The company had hoped he would help create a gin school featuring a bar and restaurant in Nottingham city centre.

But after being entrusted with company business accounts the 35 year-old spent the money to facilitate a gambling addiction.

Between August 2018 and April 2019, he gambled away a total of £142,930.45 of investors’ money, and as a result the business in question folded.

Masters, who was from Keyworth, appeared before Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday for sentencing having pleaded guilty to fraud.

He was jailed for two and a half years.

Detective Constable Jason Jenkins, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Masters took thousands of pounds that didn’t belong to him and gambled it all away.

"After gaining the trust of the company that hired him, Masters manipulated his position as a director to bring the business to its knees, with his actions sadly resulting in the company ceasing to exist.

"As this case shows, fraud can have a devastating impact on its victims and can leave people at risk of having their livelihoods destroyed."

If you, or someone you know, might be struggling with a gambling addiction, you can call 0808 8020 133 for help from GamCareYou can also access advice from BeGambleAware and via the NHS