Aldi boss claims he stole $20k to fund coke habit so he could work harder for a promotion

AN “AMBITIOUS” assistant manager at Aldi stole more than $20k for his cocaine addiction — so he could get promoted.

Aldi coke-head stole $20,000

AN ASSISTANT manager at Aldi stole more than £10,000 ($A20,490) to fund his cocaine addiction — so he could work harder for a promotion.

UK man Robert Scott, 38, wanted to become store manager at the supermarket and claimed he took the drug to stay awake longer.

A court heard the dad stole £10,296 ($A21,100) from two branches to pay for his habit. But he dodged a jail sentence after admitting pilfering the cash when he should have been banking it.

Craig Evans, defending Scott, said: “He took cocaine to keep himself awake.

“Perhaps ambition got the better of him and he fell into that trap. It was a habit he could ill afford.”

Store managers at Aldi are thought to earn around £46,000 ($94,270) a year and get a flash Audi A4 company car.

But Judge Jeremy Carey told him he had abused his employer’s trust and was “fooling” himself if he thought he was taking the drug for a good reason.

TWAM-20160116 EMBARGO FOR TWAM 16 Jan 2016 NO REUSE WITHOUT PERMISSION Non-food items at Aldi supermarket, London, England, UK Pic : Alamy

Judge Carey said: “To take cocaine in order to stay awake is about as nonsensical a thing anyone can do.

“You grossly abused the trust for one principal reason, namely that you developed a cocaine habit.

“You are fooling yourself if you are convincing yourself it was for a positive reason — to do your job better. You needed it, craved it and wanted it.

“The bottom line is you were out of control at this time, feeding your habit by stealing from your employers.”

Scott, of Folkestone, Kent, admitted theft and false accounting at Maidstone Crown Court.

He was given a 12-month suspended jail term and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was also told to pay £3,600 ($A7,380) compensation after stealing from the two stores in Hythe and Maidstone in 2012.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.