Drag act pub boss stole £14k from bar owners

A drag artist and pub manager has been sentenced after stealing more than £14,000 from the owners of a North Yorkshire bar.

Scott Hallas took the cash from the till while working at The Fleece, in Skipton, between January and June 2024, Harrogate Magistrates' Court heard.

The 40-year-old, who also performed at the pub under the name Dragalicious, was caught when the premises switched to card machines and the owners noticed an increase in revenue.

Hallas, of Westcroft, Honley, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £6,000 in compensation over two years.

Martin Townend, defending Hallas, said "temptation had got the better of him" during a period of drinking and poor mental heath.

He said Hallas had been sacked as a result of his actions but had found new work as a drag performer elsewhere.

On 24 March at the same court, Hallas pleaded guilty to theft by employee.

Sentencing the former manager, magistrates said his offence seemed "very out of character".

He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and undergo mental health treatment.

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