A man who fraudulently bought £27,000 of fuel in eight months using a company fuel card has been given an 18-month suspended jail sentence.

Steven Green, 45, began working as a driver for a shed company in Wisbech in July 2018 and was given a company fuel card.

A month later, in August 2018, his employment was terminated, but Green kept the fuel card and then purchased £27,268 worth of fuel between September 2018 and April 2019.

Company bosses noticed the large amount after reviewing the card balances in April last year.

Police investigating the incident established that Green was the person behind the purchases.

Officers from Norfolk Constabulary also confirmed they had done a stop check on Green in their area in January 2019 and reported he had a number of empty 25 litre containers in his vehicle.

During the investigation it emerged that Green had attempted to purchased a final £255 worth of fuel, but when the card was declined he left without paying.

Green pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and making off without payment.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday October 19.

He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and 50 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

Detective Constable, Ahmed Ishaq, who investigated, told the Peterborough Telegraph: “It’s clear Green thought he could get away with using the fuel card and nothing was going to stop him until the company cancelled the card.

“He has defrauded the company out of a substantial amount of money and I am glad justice has been done.”