Falkirk dental manager stole £120,000 to feed drug habit

Alan Thomson also impersonated his old boss in a bid to transfer £50,000 from a savings account.

A court heard the 36-year-old had a "significant" drug addiction and committed the crimes to pay off debts.

Earlier this year, Thomson escaped with a fine after he was convicted of stealing clothing and handbags while manager of a TK Maxx store in Edinburgh.

But a sheriff warned him this week that a prison sentence for the latest crimes is "almost inevitable".

Thomson, of Woodburn Avenue, Redding, admitted stealing dental equipment, electrical items and computer gear from Coatbridge Family Dental Care in Lanarkshire over a four-day period in July last year.

He also admitted carrying out a fraudulent scheme the following month by "holding himself out to be" Keith Preston who, along with wife Gillian, owns the dental practice.

This involved billing the company after obtaining dental equipment worth £3600 from suppliers and attempting to have £50,000 transferred from Mr Preston's National Savings Investments account.

Airdrie Sheriff Court heard Thomson started work as practice manager at the Coatbridge dental surgery in February last year, but he was dismissed less than three months later for "under performance".

Sarah Healing, prosecuting, said the alarm at the premises went off about 4.30am on July 7 last year and police attended to find a door open and items "strewn over the floor".

Enquiries revealed that a code allocated to Thomson had been used to deactivate and reset the alarm that morning and on another occasion a few days earlier.

Then, on August 3, a request was made from a person claiming to be Mr Preston to change the password and mobile phone number associated with his National Savings Investments account.

The caller - Thomson - passed through the security process and was able to change a nominated bank account and request a £50,000 transfer.

Ms Healing told the court: "Fortunately, suspicions had been raised earlier that resulted in Mr Preston being contacted and he confirmed he had not authorised any changes.

"Enquiries showed the £50,000 was to have been transferred to a Bank of Scotland account registered to Thomson.

"It also emerged that dental equipment worth £3632.80 had been sent to an address in Glasgow associated with Thomson. Invoices for these had been sent to Coatbridge Family Dental Care.

"Thomson was interviewed and made full admissions. In respect of the theft from the dental practice, he said he had provided the key and alarm code to another individual, allowing that person to break in and steal the equipment."

Defence lawyer Eddie Kelly said Thomson had given the name of his accomplice to the police, but they were unable to advance a case against the individual.

Mr Kelly added: "The background here is a significant drug addiction and the debts arising from it.

"It affected his judgment and mindset."

Sheriff Paul Haran deferred sentence until January for background reports.

The sheriff continued bail but told Thomson: "I want to make it abundantly clear that it's almost inevitable a custodial sentence will be imposed."

In January this year Thomson was fined £470 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for stealing clothing, handbags and accessories from TK Maxx at the city's Hermiston Gate.

The court heard he was store manager when he committed the theft in July 2022.