A CASHIER at an American Express bureau who fiddled the accounts narrowly escaped a jail sentence last week.

Mark Sumner, of Sandfield Road, Wallasey, a former special constable, pleaded guilty to two offences of false accounting at the Lord Street branch in Liverpool city centre and was ordered to carry out 180 hours' community service.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that 25-year-old Sumner was arrested after two discrepancies involving a total of almost £6,000 came to light.

The first incident involved an apparent transaction for £2,400 in sterling on November 5, 1997, said Mr Gerald Baxter, prosecuting.

The second occurred on July 17 last year and involved £3,400.

Mr Tom Eaton, defending, said that Sumner found he had the discrepancies on his till and, instead of reporting them as he should have done, he covered them up, making matters worse.

Judge William George told Sumner, who has no previous convictions, that it had been a serious breach of trust but no missing money had been traced to him.

Sumner denied four other allegations involving theft and false accounting and these were not proceeded with.

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