Washington Wetlands Centre boss stole £19,000 from charity to fund his gambling addiction
Stephen Street, a charity manager, stole £19,000 from the Washington Wetlands Trust to fund a gambling addiction and received a suspended sentence.Summary
Stephen Street, the retail trading manager at the Washington Wetlands Trust, stole £19,365 from the charity between February 2023 and June 2024 to fund a gambling habit that worsened after his father’s illness and death. He confessed before being suspected, revealing he took around £200 at a time, exploiting lax security measures like unsealed bags and trusting staff. The theft impacted the charity’s ability to recruit and retain staff, caused reputational harm, and required reporting to the charity commission. Street, 47, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years, 250 hours of unpaid work, and must repay the stolen £19,365. The court heard he is remorseful and has sought help for his gambling addiction, with his family assisting in the repayment.
(Source：Evening Chronicle)