Drugs, drink and gambling led charity worker to fleece Wakefield sports centre of £20,000
A charity worker siphoned more than £20,000 from sports centre to pay off spiralling debts racked up by drink, drugs and gambling.
Jonathan Lane drained the cash from his employers at at Lightwaves Community Trust in Wakefield over 14 months.
He previously appeared at Leeds Crown Court where he admitted charges of fraud by false representation and theft from his employer.
The 31-year-old was told by the judge that he needed to raise £2,500 to demonstrate he was serious about paying back what he owed.
He returned to court this week, having raised the cash and avoided immediate custody as a result.
Lane, of Fairfield Drive, Ossett, has no previous convictions.
Between June 2022 and September 2023, Lane invoiced customers of the sports centre, but gave his own bank details for them to deposit the cash.
Mitigating on Lane’s behalf, Emily Jenkins said he had been drinking heavily, taking drugs and betting at the time, using pay-day loans and got into £20,000 in debt as a result.
She said he had now quit the three vices, was being helped by a debt-consolidation company and his “financial situation was now under control”.
She said he was now working for another leisure centre working for minimum wage.
Judge Ray Singh jailed him for 14 months, suspended for 24 months. He was also given 180 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £5,000 in compensation to the Lightwaves Community Trust - the £2,500 he had saved to be paid in the next 14 days, and £200 a month thereafter.
The trust helps deliver services at the Lightwaves Leisure and Sports Centre on Lower York Street, Wakefield.
It was earmarked for closure in 2012 when Wakefield Council said it could no longer afford to keep the centre running, but a charity trust then stepped in to take control.