A judge asked members of a skittles league what he should do with their former treasurer who stole thousands of pounds in charity money from them. And after the judge was told the consensus was the fraudster should be sent to jail, that's exactly where the judge sent him for 10 months.
Paul Brewster was treasurer at Yatton and District Summer Skittles League, Bristol Crown Court heard. But when he was asked why no charitable cheques had been sent out he said he had taken all of it but would try to pay it back.
After a letter sent to Brewster regarding a repayment plan was ignored, police were called in and he was arrested. It transpired he had helped himself to some £7,500 which he spent in supermarkets, shops, pubs and cafes.
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Brewster, 65, of Milers Close in Pill, admitted fraud and was frank when interviewed. He handed himself in to police and was sentenced by Judge Richard Shepherd yesterday (December 6).
The court heard Brewster took on the role of treasurer for the league, which raises money for good causes. As treasurer he was trusted with bank accounts and payments.
The league's account figures seemed in order from 2015 to 2018, the court heard. But in March 2020, when no charity donation cheques were sent out, Brewster was challenged and confessed to taking funds.
A "remorseful and apologetic" Brewster told police he was struggling financially. He said he took the money in the hope of repaying it in future.
Nadeem Aullybocus, prosecuting, read an impact statement on behalf of the league, which formed in 1976 with the aim of promoting summer skittles and to raise money for a local charitable cause. It said: "In the years prior to the offence, the league has donated a total of £112,000 to various charities.
"Each season all the league players vote for the charity to receive the season's award. For the 2019 season, league players decided to award three charities that were important to them; Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and Great Western Air Ambulance.
"The three charities were promised an award which would total over £1,000 each. Because of the offence the league could not fulfil that promise."
The court heard Brewster spent all but 46p of the £7,520.70 in the league's bank account. It meant debts were not paid and the league was without funds to continue through the 2020 and 2021 closed seasons due to Covid.
Present in court were six members of Yatton and District Summer Skittles League, including new treasurer Dennis Roper. The judge told Mr Roper he could simply lock up Brewster for a short time or "work him to the bone" with a community order such as charity shop work.
Mr Roper told the judge: "I feel the feedback from a lot of the players is that everybody feels he had that chance to pay the money back and had abused that chance. Personally I feel he needs to be duly punished.
"A lot of people are very bitter with the fact he's abused his position of trust. Now everybody is squeaky clean, we've learned a valuable lesson.
"I think if he walks out of here today and sweeps the streets there would be a lot of people a bit fed up about it. I fell in love about what the league does for a lot of good causes. What the league does is very special."
Eshanul Oarith, defending, said his client had accepted it was to prison he must go. Mr Oarith said: "He has always been clear that what he did to the charities, what he did to the league, at no point was justified.
"He has always been clear he will take any punishment that the court imposes on him. He genuinely wanted to pay the money back."
Outside court Mr Roper told Bristol Live: "I think he's got his comeuppance. I'm quite happy with that to be honest."
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