Salesman who exploited father’s login in £15k fraud avoids jail but faces years of repayments

A parts salesman who bypassed his employer’s security system to commit a £15,000 fraud has avoided an immediate prison sentence but will be repaying the stolen funds for years.

Bradford’s Telegraph & Argus reports that Joshua Oliver, 33, exploited his branch manager father’s login credentials at the Halifax branch of Alliance Automotive Group to manipulate the dealership’s refund system undetected.

Bradford Crown Court heard that over nearly two years, he processed fake refunds on unreturned items, pocketing the equivalent cash amount.

The fraud was only uncovered when senior managers noticed an unusual pattern in returns - specifically on exhaust systems, where rebates were issued despite no faulty parts being sent back.

Initially, suspicion fell on Oliver’s father, whose login credentials had been used to authorise the fraudulent transactions. He even received a formal warning before Oliver’s deception was discovered.

Prosecutor Philip Adams detailed how Oliver used the stolen money to fund an escalating online gambling habit, along with everyday expenses such as alcohol and groceries.

When confronted, Oliver admitted to systematically exploiting the company’s security loophole, generating false refunds on high-value parts like batteries and exhausts - items that typically don’t require physical returns.

Miss Recorder Judy Dawson highlighted the calculated nature of the fraud, noting that Oliver had “somewhat cleverly” found a way to override security measures and abuse his father’s position of trust.

“This was not a series of impulsive decisions,” she said, who added that she suspected that the scheme would likely have continued had it not been detected.

Despite the breach of trust and the prolonged nature of the fraud, the court acknowledged Oliver’s remorse, his previously good character, and the steps he had taken to address his gambling addiction. As a result, his 14-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months.

Oliver must also repay the stolen £15,000 at a rate of £120 per month, complete 300 hours of unpaid work, and adhere to a six-month curfew from 7pm to 7am.