Jonathan Bradbury began helping himself to cash from the takings at the Space nightclub when the payments stopped, Rodney Lester told Leeds Crown Court on his behalf.

Michael Smith, prosecuting, said between January 2005 and spring last year, Bradbury would ring in payments for drinks, but then make the payment void, pocketing the cash for himself.

He then replaced the spirits with bottles he bought at cost price so that a stock check would not reveal a shortfall.

His dishonesty came to light in May last year when another member of staff noticed takings did not seem to be reflected in receipts and he also remembered Bradbury was seen in February putting a box of vodka into the spirit stock cupboard.

He reported it to his employers and an investigation was carried out which revealed Bradbury had been taking cash for himself every week. By then a total of £52,021 had been taken.

Mr Lester told the court Bradbury had repaid all the money plus interest and legal costs incurred in his employers beginning a civil action against him before the case came to court.

Bradbury, 44, of Thistlewood Road, Outwood, Wakefield, admitted theft.

Appearing yesterday for sentence Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told Bradbury it was a "gross breach of trust" but he was able to take an exceptional course and suspend the 12-month jail sentence for two years. He also imposed a 200-hour order for unpaid work for the community saying it was an unusual case where he had repaid not only what had been lost but the additional interest and expenses totalling £73,015. He also accepted that Bradbury had to look after both his aged parents.

Mr Smith told the jury when the offences were reported Bradbury admitted spending the money he had taken on holidays, his home and helping someone else put down a deposit on a property.

Mr Lester said there was no lavish lifestyle and the holiday had been a package holiday to Greece. He had remortgaged his own home to enable him to repay his debt and was extremely contrite about what he had done.