By Martin Naylor
Alan Doig, a senior accountant at Gedling Borough Council, has been jailed for five years after stealing nearly £1 million of taxpayers’ money to fund his gambling addiction. Doig, 57, took advantage of his trusted position over nearly two decades, transferring £934,343.30 from public funds into his own accounts.
Between 2002 and 2022, Doig manipulated the council’s employee car loan scheme to divert money to himself. He used false invoices, credit notes, and made fraudulent transactions to cover up his actions. His theft came to light in 2022 after discrepancies in the car loan scheme payments were discovered during a routine report.
Prosecutor Alan Murphy explained that Doig, who had worked for the council since 1985, used his role to access payments made through the loan scheme for council employees. Despite initially denying any wrongdoing, Doig later admitted his guilt, revealing that his gambling addiction had spiraled out of control. He had been gambling since he was 17 and had used stolen funds to chase his losses, opening multiple online betting accounts to continue his habit.
When questioned by police, Doig confessed that if he hadn’t been caught, he would have continued to steal to fund his addiction. He claimed that he always paid his mortgage and bills, but spent the rest of his money on gambling. He also admitted to attending Gamblers Anonymous twice, but said it hadn’t been effective in curbing his addiction.
Judge Nirmal Shant KC sentenced Doig, calling his actions a breach of trust that had a real impact on the local community. The £934,343.30 he stole represented 6% of the council’s 2024-2025 budget, which could have been used for essential public services. The council’s chief executive, Mike Hill, expressed shock and disappointment that a long-serving and trusted employee had committed such a serious crime.
Doig was arrested after an investigation uncovered documents related to his fraud, including false loan applications and falsified paperwork. He pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and obtaining money transfer by deception. A future hearing will determine whether Doig will be stripped of his assets through the Proceeds of Crime Act.
In the wake of the crime, the council has reinforced its commitment to preventing fraud, ensuring that new systems and checks are in place to avoid similar incidents in the future.