Barnsley council manager jailed for taking £173k

Arthur Mullett, 62, was the commercial manager of Barnsley Council’s transport services department.

But instead of banking income for services such as testing taxis, he siphoned off the money into his own accounts over five years.

Sheffield Crown Court heard he banked his £27,500-a-year salary and lived off the stolen cash.

In the 2008/9 financial year alone, he stole £32,239, said prosecutor Ian Goldsack.

Mr Goldsack said Mullett was caught out when his line manager became suspicious.

“Unfortunately for the local taxpayers, it seems the degree of trust and autonomy invested in him was such that he was subjected to limited scrutiny,” he said.

Mullett, of Churchside in West Halton, near Scunthorpe, has never revealed what he spent the money on.

He was suspended in June 2010 and sacked two months later. He was arrested in February 2011.

When charged, he made no comment, and has never answered questions from his former employers.

Mullett, who had no previous convictions, admitted theft of £173,526 from Barnsley Council.

Anil Murray, defending, said: “He has lost his good name, his job and his pension and he is effectively a broken man.”

When the extent of Mullett’s crime was revealed, the council clawed back £88,990 from his pension entitlement.

Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Baker told Mullett: “You banked your salary and utilised the cash which you unlawfully siphoned off for your day-to-day living expenses.”

Mullett will serve half of his 30-month prison sentence and the rest on licence.

Coun Alan Gardiner from Barnsley Council said: “A provisional date in December has been set for the court to discuss options around the recovery of the outstanding £84,000, under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”