Former charity worker jailed for £80k fraud

Finance | Gareth Jones | 3 Mar 2009

A former charity project manager has been given a three-year prison sentence after stealing more than £80,000 in three years.

David Cartwright, who was also a former Labour leader of Redditch Borough Council, pleaded guilty to the fraud, which took place between 2003 and 2005 when he worked at Midlands-based housing charity Step Out Drop In (Sodi).

Cartwright (pictured), whose colleagues nicknamed him ‘Dodgy Dave’, stole £24,695 from the charity, which went into liquidation in October 2005, by forging cheques.

He used the money to pay for family holidays, new carpets and riding lessons for his daughter.

He also fraudulently raised funds for Sodi, earning £21,118 from government to pay for a fictitious housing support officer, £37,350 from Redditch Council through false invoices, and £5,000 from a charitable trust via another invoice.

Sentencing him, Judge Cooper QC said: “The essence of your fraud offending is the abuse of the power and privilege which you enjoyed as a respected local government leader.

“Frauds like yours will be detected and punished. I trust your sentence will bring closure for those who felt tainted by your actions.”

Antonie Muller, defending, said Cartwright’s intentions were honest when he joined the charity but the situation “overwhelmed him and he became dishonest”, and that he had sold his house to repay some of the money.

Who's Who: Gareth Jones

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