Chef ‘gobsmacked’ after couple who stole £150,000 from restaurant dodge jail

Chef Stephen Terry, whose Abergavenny restaurant The Hardwick was defrauded of £150,000 by two of his employees, has slammed the judge’s decision to suspend the culprits’ sentences.

Between May 2018 and February 2020, The Hardwick’s office administrator Nicola Nightingale, whose job was to pay the restaurant’s staff, sent more than 55 transfers to her husband Simon’s bank account, disguised as fake invoices, amounting to £46,741.57. Nightingale also made numerous transactions to her and her daughter’s accounts before leaving her role at The Hardwick in March 2020.

The Nightingales spent some of the stolen money on luxury holidays to Morocco, France, and Walt Disney World in Florida.

Meanwhile, in a victim statement written in June 2020, Terry, formerly of Harveys and The Walnut Tree, shared that his restaurant had been in financial “dire straits” as a result of the theft, and cited damage to his “reputation and working relationships” with suppliers due to outstanding payments.

It should also be noted that Nicola Nightingale left her role just before the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK, the first of a series of hammer blows faced by the hospitality industry.

Nicola Nightingale pled guilty in February while appearing at Cardiff Crown Court. At the time, her husband, who worked as a chef at The Hardwick, tried to distance himself from the charges by pleading ignorance.

Both Nicola and Simon Nightingale were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to suspended two-year sentences and 100 hours of unpaid work. Record judge Barry Clarke’s reasoning for the sentencing was that sending the pair to prison would have a “lasting, negative impact” on their children.

Terry is reported to have said after the sentencing: “I am disappointed there was no custodial sentence for what they have put myself through…They had a holiday we could have only dreamed of and all of a sudden you find out you’re paying for it.”

He went on to describe the suspended sentence as a “travesty”: “What kind of message does that sent out? It’s a joke, an absolute joke…Nicola Nightingale had no regard for our employees or suppliers…I was adamant she was going to prison today. I am absolutely gobsmacked.”

Related news:

Man taken to court over €13,000 Cristal mishap

Chef wins court case after charging no-show customer

This article was originally published by the drinks business and has been shared with permission.

Leave your reply

Most Recent Stories

London's hottest restaurant openings: December 2023

Christmas is the time of year to eat, drink and be merry – here are some of the new London spots worth dropping by this festive season.

Tributes paid to Russell Norman

The restaurateur credited with transforming London's dining scene with the opening of Polpo, Spuntino and Brutto, died last week at the age of 57.

Mendoza sweeps up Michelin stars

In the very first edition of the Michelin Guide in Argentina, Mendoza took home four of the six stars in an awards ceremony last week firmly placing the wine region at the top of any gastronome’s bucket list of places to visit.

WLC Eats: The Clove Club, Shoreditch

Douglas Blyde heads to what was once Shoreditch Town Hall to visit The Clove Club. While there, he explores the two Michelin-starred restaurant's "masterful" and "memorable" tasting menu, and raises the question of why chef-patron Isaac McHale hasn't written a book yet.

Norfolk pub owner uses canoe in face of floods

A pub landlord in Surlingham, Norfolk, estimated losses of £80,000 over the last two years due to floods, and has had to employ one unconventional method to transport deliveries and staff to work.

Most Recent Stories

London's hottest restaurant openings: December 2023

Christmas is the time of year to eat, drink and be merry – here are some of the new London spots worth dropping by this festive season.

Tributes paid to Russell Norman

The restaurateur credited with transforming London's dining scene with the opening of Polpo, Spuntino and Brutto, died last week at the age of 57.

Mendoza sweeps up Michelin stars

In the very first edition of the Michelin Guide in Argentina, Mendoza took home four of the six stars in an awards ceremony last week firmly placing the wine region at the top of any gastronome’s bucket list of places to visit.

WLC Eats: The Clove Club, Shoreditch

Douglas Blyde heads to what was once Shoreditch Town Hall to visit The Clove Club. While there, he explores the two Michelin-starred restaurant's "masterful" and "memorable" tasting menu, and raises the question of why chef-patron Isaac McHale hasn't written a book yet.

Norfolk pub owner uses canoe in face of floods

A pub landlord in Surlingham, Norfolk, estimated losses of £80,000 over the last two years due to floods, and has had to employ one unconventional method to transport deliveries and staff to work.