Businesses need to intervene early to help staff with gambling issues.

That’s the message from police after a finance manager was jailed for stealing more than £500,000 from his employer.

Police say they have investigated a small number of incidents in recent years in which people with gambling problems had stolen from their employers.

A spokesman said: ’Businesses need to look at staff with gambling issues to help them before it becomes a problem. There are several ways support can be offered. We will obviously investigate any offences reported to us.’

Phillip Sean McCarthy, of Main Road, Colby, was last week jailed for three years and four months for offences carried out while working as finance manager at yacht services company Döhle.

Over the course of five years, McCarthy forged cheques, falsified invoices and made fraudulent bank transfers to his own credit card account, the Court of General Gaol Delivery was told.

He pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and eights offences of obtaining money transfer by deception, with the total sums involved being in excess of £500,000.

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie said the significant period of dishonesty had shown elements of planning and premeditation - and McCarthy had been very good at ’covering his tracks’.

A psychiatric report diagnosed the defendant as having a pathological gambling addiction.

McCarthy’s advocate Roger Kane said his client expressed genuine sorrow and remorse and was fully motivated to tackle his addiction.