An Amazon boss has been jailed after he spent over £12,000 on flying and hunting courses.
Nicholas Rees, 46, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by false representation when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (26 January).
Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the defendant, of Round Barrow, Colerne, near Chippenham, worked as a senior delivery manager for Amazon when he committed the crimes.
He submitted numerous expense claims totalling £12,484.97 between March 2020 and June 2021 – but a financial audit later revealed the truth behind the claims.
Rees was reimbursed just over £3,000 for expenses relating to training for a private pilot licence and nearly £2,000 on deer stalking training and other associated items.
He also splashed Amazon’s cash on products purchased on the global marketplace, treating his wife to a hotel stay and lavish dinner in London – claiming on the expense form that he was dining a client.
Mark Glendenning, defending, said his client immediately offered to pay the money back to avoid a criminal conviction – claiming he did it through stupidity, rather than the inability to pay. Amazon refused the offer, fired him and proceeded to report the matter to the police.
He said Rees “accepts that he has let himself down and let his family down”. A number of character references, from his wife and a neighbour, were provided to the court.
The defendant confirmed that his new employer was unaware of the proceedings.
Mr Glendenning asked the magistrates to consider a suspended prison sentence because he has a wife and children to support. He said his client is willing to pay compensation to Amazon and do unpaid work.
Before he was sentenced and as the bench considered his sentence in the retiring room, Rees learned his fate when two prison officers entered the dock and attempted to cuff him. His face dropped and he appeared to turn dark purple in shock.
Mr Glendenning rose to complain that prison officers should not enter the dock before a defendant’s sentence is handed down by the magistrates.
The bench returned and chairman Jane Flew sentenced Rees to 20 weeks’ imprisonment, describing his offending as “complex and complicated” fraud carried out in a position of trust. She said that his crimes showed a “high level of greed” and said that only immediate custody could be justified.
Rees, who came to court without a prison bag, was then taken down from the dock.
