By Victoria Brenan

A RESPECTED church member embezzled more than £40,000 from a family business while the owner was critically ill.

Douglas McAllister was brought in as financial director of fabric firm Mandors after Karen Deutsch suffered an aneurysm.

The 48-year-old Eaglesham man used the opportunity to steal £42,395 from the business, using a company credit card to buy personal items – including a new car.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that, as well as using the credit card, McAllister wrote cheques to cash.

The married father-of-three also diverted BACS transfers from customers to his personal account.

Opened in Glasgow in 1977, Mandors is owned by Mrs Deutsch and her husband Michael, who were both in court to see McAllister in the dock.

McAllister was employed as financial director between 2007 and December 2014.

He had previously been the firm’s auditor but was brought in-house following Mrs Deutsch’s health troubles.

Procurator fiscal depute Elizabeth Aitken told the court McAllister had “total control of all finances”.

His spending spree, from February 2012 to November 2014, was uncovered in a routine check of company email accounts, during which Mrs Deutsch found a conversation between McAllister and a former Mandors employee that raised concerns.

McAllister, who pled guilty to embezzlement, was found to have used the company credit card for a string of personal purchases, including taxing his wife’s car and buying a new vehicle.

On the advice of an employment solicitor, Mr and Mrs Deutsch suspended McAllister on full pay.

He agreed to repay £30,000 to the couple, who then reported him to police.

Defence lawyer Ross Yuill said McAllister had not embezzled the money to enhance his lifestyle but to “make himself feel better” as he worked long hours, which made him depressed.

He said “his family life was suffering”.

In further mitigation, the defence agent also said McAllister had a difficult relationship with his employer, Mr Deutsch.

Mr Yuill said McAllister had not realised how much money he had taken and had borrowed from friends and family to pay back the cash.

The accountant now intends to repay the remaining £12,000 before his next court appearance, borrowing from friends to make up the sum.

His solicitor told the court McAllister was “surprised” to be contacted by police as he believed that repaying £30,000 had settled the matter.

Sheriff Kenneth Hogg deferred sentencing until next month and ordered background reports and a Proceeds of Crime assessment.

McAllister will return to court next month to learn his fate.