Navy Veterans Club Rocked by £70K Gambling-Related Theft

A financial executive at a veterans sailing club in England, who stole thousands of pounds to fuel a gambling addiction, was recently sentenced.

Gambling Addict Avoids Prison After Stealing from Non-profit Sailing Club

The case of the 39-year-old financial manager, identified with the initials L.H., was recently heard in the Portsmouth Crown Court. The woman was accused of stealing close to £70,000 ($86,400) which she then used for gambling and drugs. As announced by The Telegraph, the Court heard that the financial manager at the historic Hornet Sailing Club embezzled a total of £68,377.84 ($84,400).

The 39-year-old woman engaged in unlawful actions for close to two years, between January 2022 and October 2023. During the trial, the Court heard that the young woman developed a gambling addiction after a divorce. She also reportedly started to abuse alcohol and cocaine. Pushed by those circumstances, the woman stole the money by creating fake transfers for refunds of club members or fraudulent payments to suppliers.

The Gosport resident previously admitted to fraud as she abused the trust the veterans sailing club put in her. During the 39-year-old’s recent sentencing, Judge William Ashworth acknowledged the severity of the woman’s actions. Still, the Judge deemed the crime “out of character” for the financial executive.

Abusing her role and engaging in fraud, the 39-year-old received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for one year. L.H. was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service, ordered to pay prosecution-related costs of nearly £100 ($123) and go through rehabilitation for 10 days.

The historic Hornet Sailing Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1964. The Gosport, Hampshire-based club provides services for veterans of the Royal Navy. Last year marked the club’s 60th anniversary.

The Theft Had Not Only a Financial but Emotional Impact

The actions of the 39-year-old financial manager left the non-profit organization in “disbelief” and shock. Besides the monetary impact, the woman’s actions had an emotional toll, considering that she was part of the sailing club since she was a child and even some of her family members are employed there.

Oliver Hirsch, mitigating, revealed during the recent trial that the 39-year-old’s life had “fallen apart” after she had gone through a divorce. This pushed her into gambling, drinking and drugs. Hirsh explained: “Her life began to fall apart after her divorce, she became a heavy user of alcohol, cocaine and gambling.”

Moreover, he added: “It is clear that money was taken when her account was near zero, it was a stopgap solution.” According to Hirsch, the 39-year-old has already taken action after going sober and stopping gambling.

Crimes that come as a result of problem gambling are not uncommon. In the case of the financial manager, she engaged in fraud, but others may even consider tougher crimes such as murder, battery or assault.