Bristol fraudster jailed after conning butcher’s shop out of £16,000 - forcing distraught victims to sell up

His actions were ‘unforgivable’
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A Bristol man has been jailed for 12 months after defrauding thousands of pounds from the butchers shop where he worked - forcing the victims to eventually sell the business.

Michael Vowles, of Avonmouth Road, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today (Wednesday, June 29) after pleading guilty to fraud by abuse of position, fraud by false representation and theft.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 28-year-old is a qualified butcher and was employed as a manager by Frances Bird, the owner of Worle Moor Butchers in Worle’s High Street, near Weston-Super-Mare, in August 2017.

The victim first noticed something was wrong when the cashflow into the business account from sales did not match the money being spent on produce.

When she challenged Vowles about it in June 2018, he walked out and did not return.

Defendant had number of tricks up his sleeve

In the year Vowles worked for the victim, he pocketed the money in a range of different ways.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Before the butchers had opened, the 28-year-old had started to buy meat from suppliers using the business’ cash and sold it on and took the profit.

Michael Vowles, 28, was jailed for 12 months at Bristol Crown Court.Michael Vowles, 28, was jailed for 12 months at Bristol Crown Court.
Michael Vowles, 28, was jailed for 12 months at Bristol Crown Court.

He also duped the victim into paying him for equipment already purchased by the business - which he then pocketed.

Once the butchers opened, the defendant then proceeded to alter the books and officers discovered he had taken more than £14,000. This is on top of the approximate £2,000 he had already stolen from the business.

When he left the business, he also attempted to throw away the cash books to hide his crimes - but this key piece of evidence was found by the victim.

‘Our life has changed beyond repair - the stress has made us ill’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a victim impact statement, Ms Bird said: “Our life has been changed beyond repair and brought us to the point of personal insolvency. As a result of the financial loss to the business, we have been unable to recover our investment and have finally had to the sell the business.

“We sold assets and got our other company into debt to cover bills in Worle Moor Butchers. This caused immeasurable emotional and mental stress which made us ill.”

The officer in charge of the investigation Detective Constable Ross Chambers said: “To break the trust of an employee is such a terrible way is unforgivable and it has had a monumental impact on the victim and her family.

“The victim has had to pay out half of her pension investment to cover the losses to the business, caused by Vowles’ actions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He did not think twice about taking that money and the implications it would have for the business owner. I hope this is a lesson learned and the victim and their family get some justice in today’s sentencing.”

Related topics: