Atherstone social club members devastated after £400k fraud

Glyn Drabble admitted profited from the earnings of Atherstone Conservative Club

Members of a social club said they had been left "devastated" after its former treasurer was jailed for defrauding it out of nearly £400,000.

Glyn Drabble was jailed for 38 months after profiting from the earnings of Atherstone Conservative Club in Warwickshire.

"All of us just couldn't believe it," said former committee member Joanne Armstrong.

The club was still struggling, she added. "We could still go under."

"He left us in a lot of debt, we've had to have a loan of £80,000 to pay of some of if off," Mrs Armstrong said.

"I just couldn't believe it, he's been a family friend for 20 years," she added.

"We went to his wedding, he came to my wedding - I've got photos of him with myself and my husband."

The club on Long Street was still struggling financially, Joanne Armstrong said

In one scheme set up by Drabble, payments made by card at the bar were transferred into the 46-year-old's personal account.

He also used club funds to cover a mobile phone bill worth more than £8,000 and applied for a £40,000 Covid "bounce-back" loan, but misrepresented the figure to the club as £25,000, Warwickshire Police said.

He defrauded the club on Long Street of £397,920 between May 2018 and January 2022.

Members been 'brilliant'

"I'm just still, even after two years, just lost for words," Mrs Armstrong told BBC CWR.

"We've been working every hour God sends to keep the club afloat," she said.

The club, which hosts family and community events, was having to put on more entertainment to help raise money to fund it, she explained.

"A lot of the members have been brilliant and have volunteered," she explained.

Glyn Drabble was sentenced to 38 months in prison at Warwick Crown Court

Drabble was sentenced at a hearing at Warwick Crown Court last Friday after admitting the fraud.

"We were all at the court hearing," said Mrs Armstrong, "but he'll probably be out in 19 months which is ridiculous," she said.

She said the situation seemed "surreal" as Drabble had been a close family friend.

"Everyone felt so gullible," she added.