11:00 am, March 6, 2026
A car salesman from Portsmouth has avoided jail after defrauding his employer of more than £13,000 to pay for his gambling addiction.
James Ratcliffe, 35, of Island Close in Hayling Island, appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates court.
Ratcliffe was employed at Hendy Honda in Portsmouth where he ran a part exchange scam between September 2023 and February 2024 that allowed him to pocket £13,015.
The court heard how he would sell customer part exchanges for a discount and pocket the cash, according to the Portsmouth News, while adjusting bank transfer amounts to make it appear the customer had paid in full for their new vehicle.
After bosses questioned what was going on, Ratcliffe confessed his fraud to them and was suspended from work before he later resigned.
He then pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position in November 2025.
His solicitor stated that he was ‘trying to reclaim big losses’ as his gambling habit grew out of hand.
The car salesman’s parents have since taken control of his finances and have said they will pay compensation on his behalf.
The Portsmouth News reports that district judge David Robinson said: ‘Over a period of five to six months, you acted in complete breach of trust.
‘There was a series of fraudulent events with a degree of planning and sophistication, moving money to and fro. There was a web of lies in the breach of this trust.
He added: ‘Your gambling habit does not excuse what you did, but you were gripped by it – stealing to fuel that habit.
‘But you made full admissions to the police and your employer; you have taken positive steps to deal with your gambling, you have been re-employed in a similar job and have parents willing to settle your debts.’
Ratcliffe was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, subject to 120 hours of community service. He must also pay £11,948.67 in compensation, a victim surcharge of £154 and £85 in costs.
Picture credit: Google Maps/Hendy Portsmouth
