Charity closed after gambling addict stole £120k

Steven Hughes was given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court

A disability charity had to shut after a worker, who had been given a second chance after stealing from it, went on to plunder a further £120,000, a court has heard.

Steven Hughes, 40, was employed as finance officer at Gateshead Access Panel, which helped disabled people and their carers, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He was allowed to keep his role after he and his parents repaid £32,000 he had stolen to fund his gambling addiction, but within months he stole more which had a devastating affect on the charity and the people it was supporting, the court heard.

Hughes, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was jailed for 18 months, suspended for a year, after admitting theft.

Gateshead Access Panel provided support for disabled people and their carers in finding sources of funding, organising training courses and dealing with the paying of carers' wages and tax contributions, prosecutor Neil Pallister said.

Hughes, of Ennerdale Place, began working for the charity in 2011 and was involved in its accounts and payroll, the court heard.

'Claimed banking error'

In April 2016, it was found that Hughes had been stealing directly from the charity to fund a gambling addiction, Mr Pallister said.

Charity bosses "very generously" allowed him to keep his job under supervision, after Hughes and his parents repaid £32,323, the court heard.

In June 2017, the charity found it had insufficient funds in its accounts to pay carers, which Hughes claimed was a banking error, before he then admitted it was caused by his failure to bill clients, Mr Pallister said.

The following month the same issue arose, with Hughes citing the same excuses before admitting he was stealing again to fund a gambling addiction, the court heard.

Hughes was allowed to remain in position but had his access to the charity's accounts removed, Mr Pallister said.

In August that year, a colleague assigned to monitor Hughes told a manager he had been seen using his phone at work to gamble online, the court heard.

It was discovered he had linked the charity's account to his Paypal account and he was still stealing, Mr Pallister said.

The same day, Hughes went to Whickham Police Station to tell officers of his theft, the court heard.

'Autism and gambling disorder'

In total, Hughes had stolen £120,557.98, the court heard, of which about £42,000 had been paid back.

Because of his thefts, several carers and disabled people, including a close friend of Hughes, found themselves several thousands of pounds in arrears with HMRC, the court heard.

The charity's manager said the theft had "decimated" the charity and led directly to its closure in 2018.

In mitigation, the court heard Hughes had been diagnosed with autism spectrum and compulsive gambling disorders.

Judge Robert Adams said it was "surprising" the charity had continued to employ Hughes and the theft was "appalling".

The judge said there was no explanation for why the case had taken some eight years to resolve but in the meantime Hughes had sought treatment.

He said Hughes' behaviour had been "fuelled" by his "autism and addictive personality", and both he and the victims had had the case hanging over them for eight years due to the "enormous delay".

Hughes was also ordered to do 150 hours' unpaid work, with a hearing to determine repayment of money set for a future date.