Former Largs manager who embezzled £17k from Potters Bar warned

Bryony McKee illegally pocketed thousands of pounds from Potters on Gallowgate Street over a period of two-and-a-half-months in 2022.

The News previously reported that the 30-year-old stepped in to manage the premises because the owner was undergoing cancer treatment.

It was heard that she took on the role in August, but by September she began informing the owner that the pub was not turning over much business and takings were low.

However, since the owner was not fit to go to the premises she took McKee's word.

And in June last year she admitted to Kilmarnock Sheriff Court to embezzling £17,365.85 from the seafront business between September 21 and December 1.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court

It was also revealed during that hearing that the bar’s owner had told the Crown she had had to use her own savings to “bail the business out”, as a result of the financial and personal distress caused by McKee’s actions.

McKee, of John Clark Street, was later sentenced to a community payback order for two years with a requirement to pay back £2,200.

However, when she returned to Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Wednesday for a review hearing it was revealed to Sheriff Laura Mundell that McKee has only repaid £320.

Her defence solicitor said: “Her benefits were, until very recently, claimed with her then-partner.

"Her partner had assured her that he had been making these payments; as a result of finding out through this process that the payments were not made, she and her partner split up.

“These non-payments have caused problems in the relationship. Now, she is back in control of her finances. She tells me she will make the payments previously arranged.”

Sheriff Mundell said: “It is really important now that this is sorted out to make these payments because the compensation order was a key part of the punishment.”

A further community payback order review was set for January next year.