An auction worker admitted to stealing rare whiskey worth nearly £25,000 to fund his gambling addiction. Andrew Grant, a worker at a whiskey auction house, stole 45 valuable bottles and deceived friends and family into helping him sell them online to cover his gambling debts. He misled his relatives into thinking he had the right to purchase collectible whiskey bottles at a discount from his workplace and sell them for profit. In reality, he was stealing some of the most valuable bottles from his employer, as he knew they were worth hundreds or even thousands of pounds each to collectors.
Grant took advantage of the fact that the tracking system for the bottles at Whisky Auctioneer Ltd, the company he worked for based in Perth, was not in place. Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC noted that Grant breached the trust of his employer by stealing high-value goods and orchestrating a scheme involving his family and friends to sell the stolen bottles. Grant’s defence solicitor, Doug McConnell, revealed that Grant struggled with a severe and long-standing gambling addiction. Grant, a single man with no support system, expressed remorse for involving his loved ones in his illicit activities, acknowledging the negative impact on his relationships.
The 44-year-old thief confessed to stealing 45 rare bottles of whiskey and other spirits between August and December 2021 from Whisky Auctioneer Ltd. He also admitted to acquiring and possessing £24,500 from criminal proceeds. As a result of his actions, Sheriff Bain sentenced Grant to 300 hours of unpaid work, three years of supervision as an alternative to jail time, and ordered him to pay £2,000 in compensation to the company. Grant has since sought help for his gambling addiction by attending Gamblers Anonymous weekly, reflecting on the devastating consequences of his actions and the importance of ongoing support in his recovery journey.