A superstore manager who had a 15-year unblemished record appeared in court charged with stealing cash.

Andrew Davies, 34, stole the money after switching off the CCTV cameras in the Kidlington branch of Sainsbury where he worked, Bicester magistrates heard yesterday.

Davies, who was employed at the branch for three-and-a-half years, worked his way up to become the store's fresh food deputy manager.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of theft totalling £330 between May 20 and May 31 this year. Two other thefts totalling £180 were taken into consideration.

David Robinson, prosecuting, told the court that Davies, of Chichester Place, Brize Norton, was a man of "previously good character with an unblemished record".

He said: "He gained the trust of his employers and he had worked his way up to become the deputy fresh food manager. But he betrayed that trust."

Mr Robinson said an investigation was launched following noticeably poor till results, and that the money was being stolen somewhere between the cash tills and the cash office.

"The CCTV system was being turned off at short periods of time. It was evident that this was being done to conceal the theft," he said.

Magistrates were told that the investigators decided to by-pass the CCTV system and set up a surveillance system in the cash office.

Two cash-bags were later found to have been tampered with and Davies was spotted removing the bags from the cash box using a key he was entitled to have.

Vicki Evans, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned for pre-sentence reports. The case will return to Bicester magistrates on October 12.

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