Worker at community football charity stole £50,000

Bradford City Community Foundation runs football camps for children

A man who worked at a charity associated with Bradford City FC "abused his position" to steal £50,000 from its funds, a court has heard.

Sam McDonnell volunteered with the Bradford City Community Foundation as a teenager before he became its head of communications in 2020.

Bradford Crown Court heard earlier that McDonnell, of Halifax, had access to a PayPal account used by parents to pay for their children's football camps, and diverted money to his own bank account.

McDonnell, 24, was given a suspended prison sentence after admitting the fraud, and was ordered to pay compensation to the charity, which runs football activities and coaching sessions.

As part of his job, McDonnell, of Maltings Road in Wheatley, had responsibility for managing the foundation's website and social media channels.

The court was told he set up a new email address linked to the PayPal account by contacting the IT provider and telling them the change would only be temporary.

However, Victoria Barker, prosecuting, said that after this was actioned in May 2021, the email was never changed back and McDonnell was able to transfer funds into his personal bank account.

In the summer of 2022, it was recognised that the number of children attending the football camps run by the charity did not match the amount they had received in fees, and McDonnell claimed the payments were delayed.

'Mean and nasty'

Further concern was expressed by other staff in early 2023 and McDonnell went off work with stress.

Eventually, access to the financial side of the website was gained and irregularities were identified.

McDonnell, who had no previous convictions, attended a disciplinary hearing and admitted stealing the charity’s money. He was dismissed and the police were informed.

Miss Barker said the total sum taken was just over £51,600 and the last transfer into McDonnell’s account had been in March 2023.

McDonnell had pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position at an earlier hearing and Recorder Patrick Palmer sentenced him to 21 months in jail, suspended for two years.

Recorder Palmer ordered McDonnell, who now has a new job, to pay £5,000 compensation at the rate of £1,000 a month and he must complete 300 hours of unpaid work.

McDonnell will also have to comply with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay £320 costs.

“This was very mean and nasty offending against the people you worked with and the people who were contributing to that charity,” the judge told McDonnell.

Barrister Shufqat Khan, for McDonnell, said he was a "young man who made a huge error when he was 20 and he’s learned from it".

Bradford City Community Foundation was set up in 1988 and is run by former player Ian Ormondroyd.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.