A charity representative from Bromsgrove who defrauded a cancer charity of more than £226,000 has been sentenced.
Jane Brookes, aged 55, was found guilty in March of failing to transfer £226,557.02 to Cancer Research UK while she was a charity representative.
Brookes, of Patch Street, Bromsgrove, had denied fraud by false representation and abuse of position whilst working for the Cancer Research UK Rubery Committee between January 2012 and November 2021.
However, whilst she admitted taking £6,000, she said this was because she was suffering health issues and was in an abusive relationship at the time.
But the judge, following a Newton hearing - held when the facts of the case are disputed - decided that she had failed to transfer the full amount of £226,557.02 to the charity.
Brookes was sentenced to 54 months on Friday, August 22 at Worcester Crown Court.
Her sentence was listed as "stayed" for count 1.
Time spent in custody will count towards her sentence.
A POCA hearing was listed before His Honour Judge Cartwright on September 22.
No other financial orders have been made.
It came after the sentencing date had been pushed back several times over the last few months.
After Brookes was found guilty earlier this year, Cancer Research UK spoke of their shock at what had happened and the "distress" it had caused.
Simon Ledsham, director of Relationship Management at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is a deeply shocking case of deception and broken trust, and our immediate thoughts are with the families of those whose funerals saw mourners donate money to Cancer Research UK.
"Our life-saving research depends on the generosity of the public and faith in fundraising.
"When that faith is fractured it is distressing for all involved, though fortunately, such cases are rare."
The charity said that whilst an incident like this is uncommon, it has modified its financial control procedures to ensure any possible fraud is responded to swiftly.
Share