Eight-year sentence wait over cash scam

Published on 4th September 2008 in News

DODGY BOOKKEEPER: Harold Kime finally brought to justice after skipping bail.

A crooked bookkeeper is today exposed as a serial conman after cooking the books of Howden Hotel and fleeing to Wales to escape prosecution.

Harold Kime (46), was sacked from his job in day to day management of banking and accounting for the Wellington Hotel in Howden after a financial black hole of £3,500 emerged in the accounts.

Kime, who has a record for dishonesty, initially told the police it was all a misunderstanding after he lost the account books he was preparing for the new job he was holding down.

He initially denied five charges of theft and false accounting from his employee, but fled police bail before appearing in court in 2000. He lived in Wales before he was stopped in an unrelated traffic matter and summoned back to face the music in Howden.

Harold Kime appeared at Hull Crown Court on Monday, September 1 after admitting three charges of false accounting relating to falsely recording giro bank payments of money belonging to Ms Christine Hill in Howden between March 3 and April 2, 1999.

The court heard the Wellington Hotel had changed hands since the crime was first reported and the Crown could not trace books required if it wanted to press the original theft charges.

The judge ordered he should be found not guilty of those.

He sat alone silently as details of his crooked past over two decades were read out aloud by Crown barrister Nigel Clive.

He said Kime had a record of false representation to obtain benefits, theft from a meter, theft and obtaining property by deception. He had been given two prison sentences - the longest for 18 months in July 1989.

Mr Clive said: "He was relieved from his duties in April 199 when the complainant then received a letter from the bank saying she had become overdrawn."

He said she found false entries in the books and there was money missing.

Defence barrister Mark Bury said Mr Kime was in poor health and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hereditary emphysema.

He said a Department for Work and Pension's report showed he was not fit for community work -limiting court punishment available.

Judge David Tremberg ordered Kime to stand as he told him: "You have pleaded guilty to three charges of false accounting. You are a man with a significant history for offences of dishonesty.

"You were in a small business in a position of trust banking at the Wellington Hotel. You cooked the books.

"You could have sought help, but you decided to take refuge in dishonesty, which you have in the past.

"If you had pleaded guilty to theft you would be going to prison today."

Mr Kime, of Coppice Road, Highfield, Doncaster, was allowed to walk free from court after been given a 12-month Community Rehabilation Order and ordered to attend the Think First Programme. He left limping, but not before Judge Tremberg warned he could be jailed if he committed any further offences in the next 12 months.