Charity Closes After Addicted Finance Officer Steals for Gambling

Gateshead Access Panel, a North East charity that supported disabled people and their carers with funding applications, training opportunities, and the management of carers’ wages and tax contributions, was forced to shut down after its finance officer repeatedly stole from its accounts to fuel a gambling addiction.

He Siphoned Money to Gamble 

Newcastle Crown Court heard that 40-year-old S.H. from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, joined the charity in 2011 and quickly became involved in handling payroll and accounts. Five years later, the first suspicions arose when money was found missing, and it was later revealed that H. had stolen more than GBP 32,323 ($43,664) to bankroll his gambling habit.

Prosecutor Neil Pallister told the court that charity leaders, hoping he could turn his life around, showed “very generous” leniency, allowing him to keep his job under supervision, with the condition to pay back the stolen money with help from his parents. 

However, new problems arose in less than a year. In June 2017, the charity discovered it didn’t have enough money to pay carers, a situation which H. explained through a banking issue before ultimately coming clean about his failure to bill clients. One month later, the same scenario repeated itself.

Although his direct access to the accounts was removed, H. managed to find another way. In August that year, a colleague noticed him gambling on his phone during work hours. Further checks revealed that the man had linked the charity’s account to his personal PayPal, siphoning off money without detection.

Compulsive Gambling Disorder Diagnosis

That same day, perhaps fearing discovery, H. walked into Whickham Police Station and admitted to the theft. By then, he had stolen a total of GBP 120,557.98 ($162,884.67), of which he later paid back roughly GBP 42,000 ($56,725).

The consequences were devastating. Carers and disabled people, including one of H.’s close friends, were left thousands of pounds in debt to HMRC. The charity’s manager said the theft had “decimated” the organisation and directly caused its collapse in 2018.

In mitigation, the court heard that H. has since been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and compulsive gambling disorder. Judge Robert Adams called the case “appalling” and expressed surprise at the fact that he man was not immediately removed from his position once his deeds were revealed.

Hughes was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. A separate hearing will determine how much money he must repay.