A PETROL station manager who stole more than £17,500 from his employers has been spared jail.

Sajid Patel took the cash from the takings at the BP filling station in Ardwick over a two month period.

Russell Davies, defending, said, when caught, 39-year-old Patel, of Belmont Road, Bolton, immediately admitted his crime.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Patel took the cash in order to pay debts he had accrued from running previous businesses and had mortgage arrears of £3,500.

Philip Dobson, prosecuting, said the thefts came to light when staff at the petrol company’s head office noticed that the amount of money banked by Patel did not match the takings. Altogether, between December 30 last year and February 2 the manager helped himself to £17,665.49. He made no attempts to conceal his thieving.

Auditors were sent to the petrol station and police were called to arrest Patel.

He pleaded guilty to theft by an employee at a previous hearing before Manchester magistrates. But the justices decided the case was so serious that they sent it to Manchester Crown Court for sentence.

Mr Davies said Patel had not informed subsequent employer, Euro Garages about his crime and had to resign following publicity about the case.

“He had not told any member of his family about the criminal proceedings he was so ashamed over what he has done,” said Mr Davies.

He added that Patel, who had no previous convictions, has now found another job with an employer who knows about his offending and his family have rallied round to help him pay back £7,500 of the cash he stole.

“When it became known in the family and in the community that this well-respected man was in trouble, help and support came immediately,” said Mr Davies.

Judge Martin Walsh said that Patel’s previous good character, the crime’s lack of sophistication and he remorse meant he could sentence him to 12 months in prison suspended for two years and ordered him to undertake 200 hours unpaid work for the community.

A proceeds of crime hearing is set to take place on October 25 to force Patel to repay the rest of the money he stole.