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Advice bureau theft couple jailed Advice bureau theft couple jailed
(about 1 hour later)
A couple have each been jailed for six years after being found guilty of stealing around £575,000 from a Citizens' Advice Bureau office. A couple have each been jailed for six years after being found guilty of stealing around £575,000 from a Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) office.
Dale and Sally Foster, from Swansea, were accused of stealing from the branch in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.Dale and Sally Foster, from Swansea, were accused of stealing from the branch in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.
The pair were convicted of nine charges of theft and Mrs Foster was found guilty of six of false accounting. They were convicted of eight charges of theft and Mrs Foster was found guilty of false accounting.
Judge Gerald Price QC said: "The brazen nature of your offending is startling, devious and dishonest in the extreme."Judge Gerald Price QC said: "The brazen nature of your offending is startling, devious and dishonest in the extreme."
The Citizens' Advice Bureau after the verdicts called it "despicable betrayal of trust". The CAB after the verdicts called it "despicable betrayal of trust".
Mrs Foster, 51, and her husband, 65, were yesterday cleared of two charges of theft. It was revealed after the verdicts that Dale Foster had convictions for fraud and embezzlement.
He and his wife had access to funding after their small office won a Wales-wide CAB contract.
Sally Foster, 51, and her husband, 65, were yesterday cleared of two charges of theft at Swansea Crown Court.
The Fosters abused their position to mount a calculated and systematic campaign of fraud and deception that deprived some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people CAB chief executive David Harker Charity couple's champagne lifestyleThe Fosters abused their position to mount a calculated and systematic campaign of fraud and deception that deprived some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people CAB chief executive David Harker Charity couple's champagne lifestyle
Mr Foster was also cleared of five charges of false accounting. Dale Foster was also cleared of five charges of false accounting.
They were convicted of eight charges of theft yesterday and the jury returned the rest of their verdicts after further deliberations on Friday morning.They were convicted of eight charges of theft yesterday and the jury returned the rest of their verdicts after further deliberations on Friday morning.
The couple were accused of stealing the money to fund a champagne lifestyle of luxury breaks and shopping trips to Harrods and Harvey Nichols.The couple were accused of stealing the money to fund a champagne lifestyle of luxury breaks and shopping trips to Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
A no-expense-spared ski holiday to the Canadian resort of Whistler, costing £17,000, came during a three-month spending spree at the end of 2003 when the couple went through £56,000, without including the skiing holiday. A no expenses-spared ski holiday to the Canadian resort of Whistler, costing £17,000, came during a three-month spending spree at the end of 2003 when the couple went through £56,000, without including the skiing holiday.
Judge Price asked Sally Foster's barrister, Rupert Mayo, if any of the money could be recovered. He replied, "No, it's all gone."
The judge said a police investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act would settle the matter.
Dale Foster's barrister, Timothy Green, said when historians looked back at the spending that had placed the United Kingdom in the state it was now in, then this offending would make an interesting footnote.
Judge Price said the couple had carried out a cunning, devious and well thought out fraud.
Sally Foster had a law degree and a "street wise" Dale Foster had convictions for embezzlement and forgery.
"You squandered public money on champagne, expensive meals and holidays. Your behaviour was brazen and startling," he said.
"On the one hand you stole enormous sums of money and on the other helped yourself to a few rolls of bubble wrap.".
Judge Price said they had taken advantage of a trusting board of trustees and, after their arrest, fabricated and concocted allegations against them.
Neither of them had shown the "slightest degree" of remorse, he added.
'Awash with cash'
The court heard the couple were among the few regular salaried staff working at the bureau, where Mrs Foster was the manager.The court heard the couple were among the few regular salaried staff working at the bureau, where Mrs Foster was the manager.
Mr Foster began working there in 1997 and was contracted to do 30 hours-a-week for £9,000 a year.Mr Foster began working there in 1997 and was contracted to do 30 hours-a-week for £9,000 a year.
Their success had been built on the small Ammanford office clinching a contract to run a Wales-wide CAB advice call centre from 2002 onwards.Their success had been built on the small Ammanford office clinching a contract to run a Wales-wide CAB advice call centre from 2002 onwards.
The couple set up bogus company and bank accounts to cover their tracksThe couple set up bogus company and bank accounts to cover their tracks
The prosecution said it meant the bureau, in a former terraced house, was "awash with cash".The prosecution said it meant the bureau, in a former terraced house, was "awash with cash".
Over four years from 2002 the contract brought in £1.2m without counting substantial Welsh Assembly Government, county and community council grants.Over four years from 2002 the contract brought in £1.2m without counting substantial Welsh Assembly Government, county and community council grants.
The jury heard the couple set up a series of secret accounts and used them to transfer hundreds of thousands of pounds for their own personal use, setting up a bogus company and bank accounts to cover their tracks.The jury heard the couple set up a series of secret accounts and used them to transfer hundreds of thousands of pounds for their own personal use, setting up a bogus company and bank accounts to cover their tracks.
Their scam only came to light when both quit work overnight at Easter 2006, posting the office keys through the letterbox of a local solicitor who was a volunteer and acting bureau chairman.Their scam only came to light when both quit work overnight at Easter 2006, posting the office keys through the letterbox of a local solicitor who was a volunteer and acting bureau chairman.
By the time the police were called in to investigate, the CAB office's computer accounts and all its paper documentation were missing.By the time the police were called in to investigate, the CAB office's computer accounts and all its paper documentation were missing.
BannedBanned
The Fosters assured the jury during the trial that the office accounts were fully intact when they had left.The Fosters assured the jury during the trial that the office accounts were fully intact when they had left.
The CAB has insisted that lessons have been learned from the couple's thefts and it was taking civil action to recover the money.The CAB has insisted that lessons have been learned from the couple's thefts and it was taking civil action to recover the money.
It said stricter financial measures have been put in place in offices across the UK and supervision has been strengthened.It said stricter financial measures have been put in place in offices across the UK and supervision has been strengthened.
David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "The Fosters abused their position to mount a calculated and systematic campaign of fraud and deception that deprived some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the community of money provided from public funds to pay for much-needed local advice services."David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "The Fosters abused their position to mount a calculated and systematic campaign of fraud and deception that deprived some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the community of money provided from public funds to pay for much-needed local advice services."
He said "stringent new safeguards" were in place, including standard financial systems across all of its network of offices.He said "stringent new safeguards" were in place, including standard financial systems across all of its network of offices.
"We are determined to learn the lessons of this case and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure that such a situation cannot arise again in the future," said Mr Harker."We are determined to learn the lessons of this case and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure that such a situation cannot arise again in the future," said Mr Harker.