A COUNCIL worker who stole £35,000 of public money over seven years has been spared jail.

Shoreham town centre manager David Steadman started pocketing cash he collected from market stall holders for their pitches in small amounts in 2009 before stealing £10,000 last year and eventually took £35,000 from Adur District Council.

But the former councillor became the "author of his own downfall" when he suggested the council think about how to run the markets when he retired - and the business experts called in became suspicious about the markets' profits.

The 70-year-old immediately admitted creaming cash of the top of what he handed over to the council for pitches - but yesterday told the Argus he was "entirely remorseful" for his actions.

After pleading guilty to theft of £35,000, Steadman, of East Street, Shoreham, was told he will have to repay the money he stole as soon as his divorce settlement from his wife is agreed.

Matthew Heywood, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court: "The defendant was a man of hitherto good character.

"Over the years he became responsible for Steyning market, Shoreham farmers' market the artisan market and Lancing market.

"Part of his role was collecting money from stallholders. A lot of the time that would be paid in cash. The offending was found out in about August of this year when the council called in investigators to look at the finances of the markets.

"During that investigation they became suspicious and reported it the the council.

"The defendant came in to speak to the council and during a disciplinary hearing he admitted stealing money over six or seven years. He was interviewed by the police and gave a full and frank account."

Serving Steadman a 15 month suspended sentence and 200 hours of unpaid work, Judge Guy Anthony said: "It is always sad to see someone of previous good character brought before the court at this stage of their working life.

"This wasn't a one off as it took place over several years and increasingly large amounts were stolen by yourself.

"But you and you alone were doing this and breaching the trust and responsibility placed on you."

Judge Anthony also served a confiscation order on Steadman to repay £35,000 to the council and warned he would face an additional year in custody if he failed to pay up.

UPSTANDING MAN ENDS CAREER IN SHAME

FOR his entire life David Steadman had been an upstanding member of the community.

He had been in full-time employment or running his own businesses and never had a black mark against his name. He had also been a local councillor and chairman of Steyning Traders’ Association.

This was until his working life ended in shame and disgrace.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2003, Steadman’s marriage of more than 30 years started to break down.

By 2012 he was paying for separate homes for his wife and himself and falling into debt but by that stage he had already been getting away with stealing small amounts from the takings he was supposed to be handing over to the council and getting away with it.

The amounts he was stealing grew to up to £10,000 in the last year but as he approached retirement he suggested the council think about the future of the markets he had made so successful – leading to the discovery of his crime.

For 15 years he had run the markets but also helped boost the economies in the town centres he worked in.

The traders adored him – even yesterday as he sobbed throughout the course of his sentencing a crowd of his former colleagues sat in the public gallery to support him.

Dozens of them wrote letters to the judge in support of this upstanding pillar of the community – who stole £35,000 from the council.

Now he will have to hand over his share of the proceeds of the house he and his wife had lived in when his divorce is finalised.

Speaking outside court he told The Argus: “I am fully remorseful.”

Andrew Turton, defending Steadman, said: “He has been dismissed from his employment and is waiting to see whether he will benefit from his pension.

“He is now 70 years old and has no previous convictions or any other marks against his name.

“Since leaving school at 16 he has been in full-time employment. He had been in his post at Adur District Council for 15 years.

“His job was wide ranging. It wasn’t just dealing with the markets and the traders but in building the local economy of the area.

“His success in establishing the markets not only provided revenue to the council through pitches but also from people coming in to the area and spending money.

“Effectively Mr Steadman was given free rein to run the businesses but he was the author of his own downfall.

“He wasn’t going to carry on for ever and he suggested the council might want to look at the alternatives to continue what he had started.

“As a result the council got a business consultancy to look at the markets and discovered that the profits were not as they expected.

“He immediately admitted he was responsible.

“It started with very small amounts from 2009 and having got away with small amounts they became bigger.

“By last year they were something in the order of £10,000 “There is no true victim in this case.

“The money that was collected went into a general pot and the admissions he made to the council and the police will have saved a considerable sum of money had he not co-operated with the investigation.

“He is a man who would be more than happy to pay back his community.”