Charity accounts chief stole nearly £300,000
A finance manager swindled nearly £300,000 from the charity that employed him and spent it on fast cars, a motorbike, flying lessons and on renting an apartment in a millionaire’s playground, it emerged yesterday. John Cunningham siphoned off up to £4,000 a week from Dorset Scope, which works with people with cerebral palsy, by using blank cheques signed by colleagues that he paid into his personal bank account.
Cunningham is serving a jail sentence after admitting stealing £150,000 from the Poole-based charity. But at a confiscation hearing at Bournemouth crown court it emerged that he had actually made £290,000 out of the swindle. The hearing was told he had only managed to pay back £49,362, by selling his share of his former marital home and his luxury cars.
Judge John Dixon ordered that the sum be paid to Dorset Scope as compensation and ruled that Cunningham, 35, must return to court if he comes into any more money.
Paul Barnard, the chief executive of the charity, said: “The loss of the money has slowed down the charity’s programme of providing accommodation for adults with learning disabilities. If it is repaid in full we would use the funds to help adults with profound physical and learning disabilities, or to provide respite places for similarly affected children. We trust that Mr Cunningham will make every effort to pay a lot more of his unlawful gains.”
Cunningham became finance manager at Dorset Scope in October 2003 and within six months began using blank cheques that had been pre-signed by colleagues to pay into his bank. He started off by stealing £1,000 a month, but was soon pocketing up to £4,000 a month.
Cunningham, who had lived in a modest flat near Wimborne, Dorset, used the money to rent and furnish a two-bedroom flat with sea views in the exclusive area of Sandbanks in Poole.
He left his wife for a younger work colleague and splashed out £28,000 on a Lotus Elise convertible, a Lexus saloon and a BMW. He also bought a Mitsubishi pick-up truck, a Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorbike and flying lessons. He did not need to touch his own salary, and if anyone questioned his new wealth Cunningham claimed he had business interests abroad. He hid his scam by producing fake invoices.
Elaine Jones, prosecuting, had previously told Bournemouth crown court that his conscience got the better of him in January 2007. He sat outside a police station all night before plucking up courage to go in. She said: “The defendant surrendered to police. In interview he admitted he had stolen from the charity on a regular basis. The defendant told police that during this time he had matrimonial problems, which had led to an increase in living expenses. He admitted some of the money was used to purchase cars and motorbikes.”
Cunningham, a father of two, was jailed for two years and nine months in March last year. Sentencing him, Judge John Beashel said: “People trusted you and you betrayed such trust.”
Outside the court Detective Constable Michael Garrett, of Dorset police, described Cunningham as “a Walter Mitty” character. He said: “Stealing from a charity is a despicable crime.”
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