A "SELFISH" former pound shop manager syphoned off £21,000 of his company's money into his bank account, only to splurge the majority of it within days.

Thomas Snell was asked to bank money while working as a manager at Poundland in Shirley, Southampton.

But the 31-year-old instead deposited the cash into his own account.

Snell went off sick days later and never returned to work.

But Poundland bosses quickly clocked onto Snell's "unsophisticated" theft and reported him to the police.

When they checked his bank account, only £3,500 remained.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court, Snell faced an immediate jail term.

But Judge Christopher Parker spared him prison, instead giving him a suspended sentence and demanding he pay the money back.

The former-Poundland employee began stealing the cash in March last year, while working as a duty manager at the pound store chain.

He banked four amounts totalling £21,360 into his account over four days.

But the theft was quickly picked up by Poundland accountants, who pointed the finger at Snell after he went off sick.

Police investigated, but found just £3,500 remained – all of which was confiscated in order to pay back Poundland.

The court was not told what the money was spent on.

Defending, Jamie Gammon said his client's theft was "unsophisticated" and would have been picked up by even the "most basic of accounting systems".

He admitted Snell was "not someone to be trusted with cash" given a previous conviction for a similar offence 10 years earlier.

But Mr Gammon asked Judge Parker not to send Snell to prison, as he was currently employed and could start to pay the money back.

He added that Snell's seven-year-old son would suffer most from his father's absence.

Judge Parker agreed and sentenced Snell to a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He said:"You were a trusted employee by Poundland when on four occasions you stole a total of more than £21,000.

"You selfishly spent the money on yourself.

"I'm handing over you a suspended sentence.

"I have some hope the money will be repaid and your family will not suffer unduly."

As well as a suspended prison sentence, Snell was also given a six month home curfew – stopping him from leaving his home between 10pm and 6am.

Snell, of Ampthill Road, Southampton, was also ordered to do 240 hours of unpaid work and pay a victim surcharge.

A Poundland spokesperson said: "Our people work hard and honestly and are always disappointed when one of their colleagues lets them down."