An employee spent more than £140 on petrol using a company card - two months after he left the job.

Ben McCash previously worked for A Plus Clean Ltd and pilfered cash from their dedicated fuel card to fill his own tank.

This happened on four occasions after he was no longer working for the Southampton company, Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecuting, Anisa Alrubaie told the court the now 31-year-old was entrusted with the fuel card so he could fuel company vehicles.

But between December 2023 and January 2024 McCash kept and used it for his own benefit, spending £141.08 over four occasions.

Sacked employee Ben McCash used a company fuel card to buy his own petrol in SouthamptonSacked employee Ben McCash used a company fuel card to buy his own petrol in Southampton (Image: Newsquest) The incidents happened in Southampton between December 13 and 20, 2023, and on January 3, 2024.

Ms Alrubaie said: “The defendant was employed by A Plus Clean on August 8, 2022 and he used the company cleaning vans and had fuel cards to fill them up with.

“His employment with the company was terminated on September 5, 2023, and the offences happened after.

“It was alleged he had been using the fuel cards to pay for fuel which was not authorised by the company.

“The company confirmed they had not given permission for McCash to use the fuel card for his own vehicles.”

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She added that on the first occasion, McCash used a fuel card to buy £38.22 worth of fuel.

This eventually amounted to a total of £141.08 which A Plus Clean Ltd would like back.

“There is a level of trust as he was trusted with a company card”, Ms Alrubaie said.

Mitigating on behalf of McCash, Jonathan Driver said he now works night shifts and lives at home with his mother, so has a disposable income to pay any fine imposed.

McCash, of Kilford Court, Botley, pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud by false representation.

Alan Foster, chair of the magistrates, told McCash: “Fraud is a dishonest act, which is now on your record and will come back to haunt you.

“You have a hard job working night shifts and we do not want to interfere with it, so we will give you a community order.”

He was given a 12-month community order and must complete up to six rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must pay a £307 fine and £141.08 compensation, as well as a £123 surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.