Former church official Martin Sargeant has admitted a £5 million fraud on the Diocese of London
(Picture: PA)A former Church official who defrauded the Diocese of London out of more than £5 million while flying around the world and bankrolling a gambling habit is facing jail.
Martin Sargeant, 52, used his position as operations manager to siphon money out of a Church of England charitable trust which had been set up to fund the restoration of religious buildings.
Over the course of 11 years between Janaury 2009 and December 2019, Sargeant stole around £5.2 million, transferring money into his personal bank account or through withdrawals and credit card payments.
Southwark crown court heard Sargeant also made fraudulent requests for grants and funds for “disfunctional churches” to further the fraud.
At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Malachy Pakenham revealed Sargeant had paid for more than 180 British Airways flights using church funds.
“I should imagine even Alan Whicker in his day wouldn’t have clocked up as many flights as this defendant did over this period”, he said, in a reference to the famously well-travelled TV presenter.
On Friday Sargeant pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud, and his case was adjourned for sentencing on November 21.
“You must be prepared for a sentence that will result inevitably in a period in custody”, said Judge Adam Hiddleston.
Sargeant’s barrister, Mark Ruffell, told the hearing the former church official has been receiving residential treatment in Dudley, West Midlands since April for a gambling problem.
“He has a long-standing gambling addiction”, he said. “He is being helped to come to terms, be honest, and face up to it. Talk about demons and temptations.
“Hopefully it will help with skills for his eventual release back into the community.
“He is transforming from a broken man, now more strengthened. He is still broken, but more able to communicate what he has done.”
Mr Ruffell added that Sargeant has properties in Scotland which he is attempting to sell to repay some of the stolen money.
The judge allowed Sargeant to remain on bail until the sentencing hearing, provided he remains at the addiction treatment facility.
The court has heard Sargeant was able to defraud the church because he was put in charge of bank accounts through his senior role in the Diocese.
He pleaded guilty to fraud. A second charge of money laundering was left to lie on file.
