A treasurer who caused “torment” by stealing more than £100,000 of donations meant for Cancer Research UK has been jailed for 40 months.
Ian Smith pocketed money that was raised over several years by Clacton’s Relay for Life volunteers, through activities including sponsored car washes and auctions.
Smith, 54, of London Road, Clacton, had previously pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, having used the charity donations to fund his own lifestyle.
He was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday (29 November).
A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will take place on a future date to try to recover some of the money.
After the court hearing, a police statement said officers from the Essex Serious Economic Crime Unit began investigating the case in May 2021, after a report that money raised and pledged to CRUK through Clacton’s Relay for Life had not been submitted between 2018 and 2019.
Clacton’s Relay for Life is a small community team run by volunteers, dedicated to raising money for CRUK in the area. At the time of the report, Smith volunteered as its treasurer.
The statement added: “Our investigation found that over a period of several years, Smith defrauded the charity of more than £100,000 of donations, raised by selfless volunteers through community activities such as sponsored car washes, charity auctions and races.
“When asked to account for the loss of donations, Smith submitted forged documents to the charity.”
Smith “defended his actions by saying that amounts may have been incorrect due to stress”, it said, adding: “He did admit to keeping some cash donations for himself. Evidence showed that Smith had also been living above his means.”
Trudy Stammer, head of supporter-led fundraising at CRUK, said: “We are shocked and disappointed by the actions of Ian Smith. We rely on the generosity and goodwill of the public in helping to raise money for our life-saving work. Mr Smith has betrayed our trust and let down both our supporters and colleagues.
“Relay For Life Clacton is a well-established and much-loved annual fundraising event which has been supported by the local community for over a decade, raising nearly £1m to help beat cancer sooner.
“The criminal actions of one individual must not be allowed to undermine the dedication, commitment and phenomenal support of organisers and supporters who have made an immense contribution to cancer research and have firmly cemented Relay For Life as a highlight of Clacton’s fundraising events calendar.”
Stammer added: “There are no plans to stage Relay For Life Clacton in 2023 but it is hoped that the event will make a successful return in future years.
“We’ve had messages from dedicated local volunteer fundraisers who have stated their determination to continue to help us achieve our mission, which is encouraging and deeply humbling.”
Investigating officer Detective Constable Joanna Barnes said: “We’ve worked closely with Cancer Research UK throughout the investigation to find the person responsible and prevent the loss of future donations.
“It’s unfathomable how anyone could try and justify using charity donations given in good faith to fund their own lifestyle and heart-breaking to think about the positive ways this money could have been used if it had reached the charity.”
Barnes went on: “The vast majority of team members for Clacton’s Relay for Life give up their own time and money to organise events. They work incredibly hard to raise money for a charity that funds lifesaving research for a disease that touches so many people’s lives.
“To think that their own team member could do something this disgraceful is beyond comprehension.”
“This is the reason we do the job that we do – to get justice for those who have to live with the embarrassment and torment that fraud can bring and to ensure that fraudsters are brought before the courts to be held responsible.”