Runcorn charity fraudster who fled to Turkey jailed

Donna Wells pleaded guilty to the offences at a previous hearing

A fraudster who fled to Turkey before her sentencing has been deported back to the UK to face justice.

Donna Wells, 41, defrauded a charity in Halton out of more than £150,000 while working as a service manager.

Cheshire Police said the stolen money should have been used to help people struggling with alcohol, drugs and mental health issues.

Wells, from Runcorn, failed to attend the hearing where she was sentenced to four years in prison on 5 June.

She had pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and acquiring criminal property between January 2018 and January 2020 at an earlier hearing.

Officers were alerted in December 2020 of financial irregularities at Young Addaction Halton, relating to payments being made to unknown suppliers, petty cash payments, and card payments.

An audit by the charity revealed a large number of payments being made by Wells, authorising the transfer of funds into four separate bank accounts not known to the charity, police said.

Three of the accounts belonged to Wells but she also used a friend's husband, Francis Jones, to launder some of the money through his mobile sandwich bar, the force said.

Invoices to the value of £42,800 were paid to Jones' Butty Bar between January 2018 and September 2019.

'Nowhere to hide'

Jones, 40, from Runcorn, admitted converting criminal property after the money was paid into his business by Wells.

He then paid £28,100 of this back to Wells' accounts, police said.

Jones was sentenced in December 2022 to 15 months in prison, which was suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.

The force said intelligence led police to believe Wells had fled to Turkey and she was detained on 18 August with the help of Turkish authorities.

Wells appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday where she was handed another four weeks for breaching bail.

Det Con Daryl Gavin said: "Not only did Wells fraudulently take a large amount of money, this money belonged to a charity committed to helping people in need.

"Instead of facing the consequences of her actions, Wells attempted to evade police before she could appear in court to be sentenced.

"As this case demonstrates, if you have committed crime in Cheshire, there really is nowhere to hide."

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