A charity finance officer at Relate Cymru has been jailed for stealing more than £221,000 from the charity to fund his cocaine habit and “lavish lifestyle”.

Kristian Brittian had been hired by Relate Cymru on a temporary basis in 2009 and was made a permanent member of staff in 2010.

He left the organisation in June 2010 to work for Carmathenshire Heritage and Regeneration trust and continued to work for Relate as a freelancer.

His replacement at Relate then discovered a number of financial irregularities – he discovered that Brittain would make a legitimate salary payment to staff but then make a second identical payment into his own account.

In total, he made 90 transactions, taking £221,340 for himself.

According to the South Wales Evening Post the court heard that he took the money to help pay his rent, then he became “greedy” and used the money to buy drugs, cars and pay for a civil partnership ceremony.

Chris James, representing Brittain, said his client had a different side and was a carer for his partner and grandmother.

When he was arrested, Brittain admitted theft straight away and possession of drugs, which police had found in his home.

James said Brittain had a drug addiction and that his life had "spiralled out of control".

Brittain was jailed by Judge Paul Thomas for 30 months after he admitted theft, possessing cocaine and possessing a Class C drug.