Couple 'lived like kings' as Wiltshire youth football league defrauded

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-33224757

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A man who "lived like a king" had no idea his wife was defrauding a youth football league out of tens of thousands of pounds, a court has heard.

Kevin Prictor's wife Karen and Margaret Rivers have admitted taking £200,000 from the North Wiltshire and District Minor League.

The court heard the Prictors took trips abroad including a 10-day holiday in Florida, which cost more than £7,000.

Mr Prictor, from Swindon, denies a charge of possessing criminal property.

The youth league is one of the country's largest, with 360 teams of seven to 18 year olds competing across 40 divisions.

Between 2009 and 2013, more than £196,000 was deposited or transferred into the Prictors' joint account by league treasurer Karen Prictor, Swindon Crown Court has heard.

'Nobody that daft'

Over that period, the couple - with a joint income of between £36,000 and £44,000 - "lived like kings", travelling to Florida, New York and Spain and buying televisions, white goods and computers.

While Karen Prictor and the league's secretary Rivers admit fraud, and Rivers's husband Andrew admits possessing criminal property, Mr Prictor denies any wrongdoing.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told the court: "We are not talking about small amounts, these are large chunks of money.

"Kevin Prictor benefited from his wife's fraud; not the odd meal out or gift, but by thousands of pounds."

She said Mr Prictor, of Beverly, Toothill, had been "one of the main beneficiaries" and dismissed his claims that "he had no interest in family finances" and "asked no questions".

"Nobody is that daft or unquestioning about family finances," she said.

"It took a household to spend this money: the shopping, the holidays, the cash."

The trial continues.