A former NatWest bank manager has been handed a suspended sentence after stealing £344,000 from cash machines at the bank's Moorgate branch to fund his gambling addiction. John Toms, 44, used his senior position to take money virtually daily over eight years, from January 2016 to April 2024.
Toms would creep into the City of London premises early in the morning, switching money around to cover his tracks after taking wads of cash from the machines. He meticulously falsified records and forged signatures to ensure the missing money was not discovered. The court heard that Toms, who has cancer, exploited his insider knowledge of the bank's internal processes.
At Southwark Crown Court, Toms pleaded guilty to theft by an employee and false accounting. He was given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to complete unpaid work and a rehabilitation programme. His lawyers said he was 'happy' for his £100,000 pension to be given to NatWest as reparations, but the bank is still short nearly a quarter of a million pounds.
Experts have highlighted the role of gambling addiction in the case. Jacqui Bell from GamLEARN said: 'This case is a stark reminder of how gambling disorder can drive people to crime. What’s missing from the headlines is the gambling industry’s role, especially the lack of affordability checks.' Victoria Corbishley, CEO of GamCare, noted that such cases show how gambling thoughts can take over lives, leading to severe consequences including criminal justice involvement.
NatWest conducted two internal investigations before the matter became criminal. Toms was earning £47,000 annually when he left his post. The prosecutor said he would take money from registers at the end of each day and replace it with cash from ATMs the next morning before colleagues arrived.
