Man admits Paul Gascoigne fundraiser fraud at Caernarfon Town FC

A man who pocketed money from tickets sold for a dinner with ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne has admitted fraud.

Tristam Lee, 36, from Bron Dinas, Llangefni, Anglesey, took £1,330 from ticket sales for a fundraiser at Caernarfon Town FC, with the ex-England international as a speaker.

The event was cancelled after he failed to pay a deposit.

Lee was handed a 26-week suspended sentence and ordered to pay £1,530 in costs.

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He was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Lee, a commercial manager at the Welsh Premier League club, had been employed to raise sponsorship money for the club, while taking a 15% cut.

The target was £4,000 per month but the club manager noticed the amount coming in was far less than hoped for.

Prosecutor Diane Williams told Caernarfon Magistrates' Court Lee had been "pocketing cash" and invoices showed money was being paid into his personal account.

It was also alleged he had taken more than the £1,330 total between July 2017 and January 2018 but it "can't be proved".

Richard Williams, defending, said Lee was apologetic and had been suffering with difficulties in his personal life and at work at the time.