Bombardier boss splashed almost £700,000 of company money to fund his lavish lifestyle
A TRAIN firm boss was jailed for six years yesterday after using almost £700,000 of company money to fund a lavish lifestyle.
Andrew Saunders, 52, defrauded transport company Bombardier
Andrew Saunders, 52, defrauded transport company Bombardier by moving the money to his wife’s bank account.
A court heard how he signed off fake purchase orders to decoy businesses he pretended were providing services for Bombardier before sending the money to his wife’s account.
Hove Crown Court heard that the £690,000 he took between 2008 and 2013 paid for Harley Davidson motorbikes, holidays to the United States and other luxuries.
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There was no doubt you had a sense of entitlement
Sentencing Saunders, Judge Tain told the court: "This is a profoundly significant fraud involving deliberate, thought-through criminality.
"There was no doubt you had a sense of entitlement.
"It was patently clear you lived a significant lifestyle well beyond your ordinary means.
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"(There is) no doubt (you were) living the high life than what would have been the case on your normal income.
"The offence was over a sustained period of time and was sophisticated."
Saunders, of Wick, West Sussex, had denied fraud but was found guilty at trial.