A former council worker who stole almost £1 million to support his gambling addiction has been jailed.
Alan Doig, 57, transferred £934,343.30 into his personal bank account between 2003 and 2022 while serving as a senior assistant accountant at Gedling Borough Council, according to Nottinghamshire Police.
Doig, from Bedale Road, Daybrook, Nottinghamshire, admitted to obtaining money by deception and committing fraud by abuse of position, following an investigation that uncovered 86 fraudulent transactions during his nearly two decades of service.
Judge Nirmal Shant KC sentenced Doig at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday to five years in prison.
Nottinghamshire Police revealed that the stolen money was spent on online gambling platforms, and Doig’s defence lawyer argued that he was drawn into a “long and dark path” by gambling.
The council launched an internal probe after a colleague noticed discrepancies in the financial system, leading to Doig’s dismissal.
The judge noted that Doig was a “well-liked and trustworthy” employee who had “wasted” the money of the borough’s residents.
Detective Constable Nabeel Dad from Nottinghamshire Police’s fraud unit stated: “As a long-standing and trusted senior employee, Doig had extensive access and understanding of Gedling Borough Council’s financial systems. He betrayed that trust in the worst possible way.”
“The money should have gone to local services and benefitted the community, but instead it fed his escalating gambling habit.”
Gedling Borough Council’s chief executive, Mike Hill, commented: “Our organisation is deeply shocked that a long-serving employee, in a position of trust, exploited the system to commit fraud on such a scale. This was a criminal act, and we believe the sentencing delivers justice.
“We are confident this was an isolated case involving someone with a serious issue. He stole public funds, which could have been used for essential services.”
He added that the council will recover the full amount, and new systems are now in place to prevent future incidents.
