Thief licensee allowed to stay at pub

A Greene King host who stole more than £15,000 from a village post office has been allowed to keep her pub by the pubco.

Julia Jones, of the Ibex Inn at Chaddleworth, near Newbury, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to stealing £15,100 from a subsidiary post office within the pub in October last year. She used the money to pay rent to Greene King.

Jones runs the pub with her husband Andy, and lives at the Ibex with her five children. She is awaiting sentencing by magistrates, but could face jail.

Greene King said Jones has been at the pub for the past eight years, and approached the firm for financial support last year, which was granted.

Greene King could pursue forfeiture of the tenancy after her criminal conviction but the company has decided not to.

Andy Spencer, business development director at Greene King Pub Partners said: "We have met with Julia, who is joint licensee of the Ibex with her husband. Greene King in no way condones her actions as we take criminal activity very seriously.

"However, we have carefully considered Julia's family circumstances, her clear remorse for her actions and her obvious commitment to the community of Chaddleworth.  

"With this in mind Greene King has decided that she should be allowed to keep her tenancy of the Ibex with her family, on the guarantee that she pays the Post Office back in full."

Morning Advertiser legal editor, Peter Coulson said in such cases personal licence holders are obliged to declare their licence to a court. If convicted of a relevant offence, the court can order the forfeiture or suspension of the personal licence. 

This information is then passed to the local licensing authority, who could review the premises licence. 

Coulson added: "In this case, the licensing authority is unlikely to take any action against the pub, particularly with Greene King's support."

Julia Jones was unavailable for comment.