A gambling addict who siphoned off almost £120,000 from the coffers of a junior football league to fund his betting has been jailed. Roy Robinson, 69, transferred the huge sum from the bank account of the Timperley and District Junior Football League to accounts controlled by him over a six-year period.
He then sought to cover his tracks by creating doctored bank statements and even assumed the identity of an auditor in a bid to claim that all was well. In fact, he had almost drained the league’s bank account, leaving it unable to pay for coaching courses and equipment which would benefit young footballers.
£119,650.14 stolen from league funds
Prosecutors told how Robinson siphoned off £119,650.14 into bank accounts controlled by him for a period of six years, from February 2018 to April 2024. Robinson had previously acted as treasurer for 17 years before that period without incident, prosecutor Olivia Davin said. He spent the money to fund his gambling addiction, and there was no evidence to show he had been living a lavish lifestyle.
The court heard that the league kept a surplus of more than £100,000, described as a ‘rainy day fund’, which comprised funds paid by member clubs. Robinson also took steps to avoid being caught. He created doctored bank statements in a bid to avoid detection.
In one such statement, Robinson claimed there was £148,000 in the account, whereas in reality it only contained £3.26. He was only rumbled when illness meant he was no longer able to control the finances. The secretary of the league obtained the true bank accounts and discovered the reality of the situation.
False auditor identity and ‘feelings of betrayal’
There had been more than 500 transactions over many years, with numerous unexplained transactions, including to gambling sites. The fraud also involved Robinson creating a false email account purporting to be the former auditor of the league, who had resigned.
Judge Jenny Lester-Ashworth said this element of the crime was ‘particularly serious’, given possible damage to the auditor's professional reputation and the risk of her being placed under investigation. After his behaviour was uncovered, Robinson has since paid back £4,500 and has expressed a desire to pay off the remaining sum.
When interviewed by the police, Robinson confessed to what he had done and admitted he’d spent the money funding his gambling addiction. A statement on behalf of the league said they had worked with Robinson for many years and had considered him to be a friend. They now have ‘feelings of betrayal’ after his crime was uncovered. They said the financial loss meant the league was no longer able to afford to fund initiatives including organising coaching courses and paying for equipment.
Severe gambling disorder and sentencing
Defending, John Bottomley said that Robinson had been suffering from a ‘severe gambling disorder’. He had been gambling since the age of 15, and by 25 he was betting every day, the court was told. He began with some ‘big wins’ when he was younger and continued to ‘chase that high’. By the time of the offending he had run out of legitimate access to funds, Mr Bottomley said.
Robinson has not gambled since June 2024 and has undergone psychotherapy and sought support from a charity. Mr Bottomley said that Robinson had already completed the rehabilitation work which the probation service would have recommended. He is genuinely remorseful for his actions and is ‘embarrassed’ and ‘ashamed’, the court heard. Robinson has split from his wife of 47 years and they now live apart. He had previously worked as a volunteer ambulance driver, and was described as an ‘incredible father’ by his children.
The judge said she accepted that his gambling addiction was a mental health disorder which had a ‘clear and functional relationship’ to his offending. But she said it didn’t stop him from understanding that he was doing wrong. The judge ruled that the offending was so serious that Robinson should be jailed. “I don’t take pleasure in sending you to prison today,” the judge told him. But she said it was a ‘particularly serious example’ of such a fraud.
Robinson, of Eastern Circle, Burnage, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
