Abergavenny foodbank fraudster who stole thousands by forging signatures avoids jail

Heather Clelland, aged 51, swindled the Cornerstone Church foodbank in Abergavenny over a 14-month period.

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Stephen Donoghue, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court this was not the first time that the defendant had defrauded a charity.

He said that Clelland received a suspended sentence in 2014 for conning a non-profit organisation out of £57,000 which was helping people with drug and mental health difficulties.

The defendant, of Wellfield Close, Abergavenny, pleaded guilty to committing fraud against the Cornerstone Church foodbank between April 2016 and June 2017.

Mr Donoghue said Clelland was appointed volunteer manager of the charity which received donations from supermarkets, various organisations and members of the public.

He told the Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Eleri Rees, how two trustees were able to write cheques but Clelland forged their signatures and made the payments out to cash.

She admitted writing a total of 24 bogus cheques for £3,587.52.

Mr Donoghue said that when she was confronted by the trustees, she accepted what she had done and she was arrested.

The court heard details of her pre-sentence report which described how Clelland was suffering from mental health issues and was “struggling financially”.

Stephen Ritter, mitigating, said his client had “lost the plot” while working for the charity and that she “couldn’t cope with making decisions”.

Judge Rees told Clelland she should have “learned her lesson” from her last conviction for fraud.

She said that because of the defendant’s mental health difficulties she was persuaded to impose a suspended custodial sentence.

Clelland was jailed for 36 weeks, suspended for 18 months and ordered to attend 10 sessions of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

She must also pay a victim surcharge of £140 and prosecution costs of £340.