A sales executive who embezzled more than £8,000 from his former oil firm employer lost a fight to clear his name yesterday.
Andrew McCraw was found guilty of the offence following a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
But the 36-year-old launched an appeal against his conviction which was heard by three judges at the Justiciary Appeal Court in Edinburgh.
His counsel Moira Mackenzie said that during the trial proceedings there had been a challenge about whether there was sufficient evidence.
She said it had been submitted that there was insufficient evidence on whether McCraw appropriated funds for his own purposes.
She said the defence was that expenditure on a firm credit card was legitimate expenditure.
The defence counsel said no finding in fact had been made by the sheriff of dishonest appropriation of funds by McCraw, of Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.
But Lord Justice General Lord Carloway said the appeal against his conviction for embezzling £8,434 from Swire Oilfield Services in Altens would be refused.
Lord Carloway, who heard the appeal with Lord Brodie and Lord Drummond Young, said there was evidence of appropriation by McCraw of “relatively significant funds” between December 15, 2012 and May 31, 2013.