Order to close charity investigated over ‘significant private benefit’

10 Sep 2018 News

The Charity Commission has said it plans to issue an order to wind up to Console Suicide Prevention – a charity it investigated in 2016 over allegations of falsified accounts and significant private benefit.

The charity was investigated, and its bank accounts were frozen, following high-profile accusations of lavish spending for the personal benefit of Paul Kelly, the chief executive at a related charity in the Republic of Ireland – Console Suicide Bereavement Counselling. That charity was taken over and wound down under charities law in the republic. 

Kelly, who was a trustee of the UK charity, booked himself into a psychiatric facility at points during an investigation, and was prevented from accessing the Irish charity’s accounts by an injunction issued by the Irish High Court.

Last year, several months after the investigation was launched into the UK charity, its directors announced it too would wind down. But the Commission has said it is not satisfied enough has been done to close it.

In accordance with the rules of the Charities Act 2011, the Commission will give 30 days for anyone interested to make representations about the order.

 

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