An Eaton Socon pharmacist who stole medicines and equipment worth more than £400,000 has been ordered to pay back £211,000.

Timothy Richards, 43, from Eye in Peterborough, who was a senior manager at Lloyds Pharmacy in Eaton Socon, was jailed for 40 months in 2013 after admitting three offences of theft and defrauding HM Revenue and Customs.

At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Huntingdon Crown Court on Friday (September 11) his criminal benefit figure was set at £437,590 and a confiscation order set at £211,348. He has been ordered to sell his house and cash in pensions to pay back his ill-gotten gains.

Richards has three months to pay the money back or will face a further year behind bars.

The court action was finalised by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit’s Regional Economic Crime Unit which works on behalf of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk police forces.

Asset Recovery Team Leader Malcolm Ewles said: “This case shows that crime really does not pay. This man stole from his employers in order to fund a lavish lifestyle and will now have to effectively start his life from scratch. This should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can steal money and get away with it.”