A manager who stole from his employers to fund a lifestyle of drink, drugs and gambling was jailed for four years yesterday.

Steven Hall, 41, used his position as accounts manager at the Eastbourne Toyota garage to pocket almost £53,000 of customers' cash deposits.

When police went to arrest him at his home in Beach Road, Eastbourne, they discovered a holdall containing drugs with a street value of more than £25,000.

The father-of-three pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and two of possessing drugs with intent to supply when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court.

He asked for 21 other theft offences to be taken into account, bringing the total amount he stole to £52,965.

The court heard Hall was responsible for taking cash from customers wanting to make deposits on cars bought at Toyota's Churchdale Road garage.

He started keeping sums for himself, often more than £2,000, in an attempt to get through a "difficult period" in March 2001 but continued when he realised how easy it was.

He spent the money on drink, gambling and drugs, particularly his amphetamine habit.

The missing money was not noticed until well into 2002. Police went to his home in September to arrest him on suspicion of theft. A search revealed a bag containing 128g of cocaine and 5.97kg of cannabis resin.

He admitted to the thefts from work but told officers he was only looking after the drugs for a friend.

The prosecution accepted Hall did not realise the bag contained cocaine and assumed it was cannabis.

He did not intend to make money from selling the drugs and only allowed them to be stashed at his home so he could have a regular supply.

He has since given police the name of the person he was holding the drugs for.

Judge Anthony Scott Gall sentenced Hall, a member of Eastbourne Bowling Club, to a total of 18 months for theft.

When he completes that sentence, he must serve a further 30 months for cocaine possession and 12 months for the cannabis offence, to run concurrently.

Noting Hall's admission that he previously spent up to £800 a week on cocaine, Judge Scott Gall told him: "This drug destroys individuals and it destroys families."

He said the thefts from Toyota amounted to "a gross breach of trust", however unsophisticated they may have been.

The court heard Hall had beaten his drug habit during his time in Winchester prison.