A SENIOR oil executive who falsely claimed £80,000 in expenses from his employers has been ordered to perform 300 hours of unpaid work.
Alan Boal, 58, said "greed" drove him to defraud Vallourec Oil and Gas UK over a five-year period while he was employed as their chief financial controller.
Boal submitted false expenses forms, claimed mileage for days he was not working and bought gifts for his family using the company credit card. He was caught after a colleague became suspicious and started keeping a record of his claims.
Boal, of Paisley, Renfrew-shire, was investigated by bosses and later confessed.
At Hamilton Sheriff Court he admitted defrauding the firm of £80,000 by making false expenses claims between May 2008 and January 2013. Yesterday, he was ordered to perform 300 hours of unpaid work rather than go to prison.
Defence lawyer David Fiskin said Boal had paid back £100,000 and accepted his career was in "tatters". "He has brought shame on himself and on his family."
Boal, who was based at the company's site in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, was originally charged with defrauding the firm of £197,465, but pleaded guilty to the reduced amount.
Sentencing Boal, Sheriff Joyce Powrie said: "I'm sure I don't have to tell you what will happen if you fail to comply with this order."
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