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Gavel

An Aviva manager who stole more than £5,000 has been ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.

Malcolm Gillies siphoned off company money meant for Aviva customers into his own bank account, a court head. 

A sheriff told Gillies he had committed a “gross breach of trust.”

The 35-year-old started working for Aviva in 2008 and later ran into financial problems.

His role was to process insurance premium refunds to customers if they were unhappy, according to the BBC.

Instead of helping the process of sending refunds to customers, the trickster diverted transfers to his own account.

Aviva only became aware of his deception after an anonymous tip off. 

The court head Gillies fell into bad ways after taking out a car loan and his money woes escalated with a divorce.

The former Aviva account manager said he had saved £800 to repay part of the money taken between 2 November 2012 and 15 April 2013.

He admitted embezzling £5,041 from Aviva in Perth. 

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “This was a gross breach of trust involving a significant sum of money.

“Ultimately what you have done is potentially prejudice your future.”