A treasurer who stole almost £60,000 from a rugby club near Pencoed to fund a gambling addiction has been sentenced. Rachel Hughes, 41, left Heol y Cyw RFC unable to pay bills and facing the prospect of folding before her deception was uncovered.
Treasurer abused position of trust
Hughes became treasurer of Heol y Cyw RFC, near Pencoed in Bridgend, in 2024, after she and her husband had been regular features of the club for several years. She siphoned off thousands of pounds to her own bank account, which was spent on gambling websites.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court heard the defendant approached Doris Francis, the former treasurer, to help with bookkeeping at the club, as she had qualifications in accounting. Mrs Francis taught Hughes about the role before the defendant took over as treasurer in September 2024, giving her access to three bank accounts associated with the club.
Fraudulent transfers uncovered
Prosecutor Charles Archer said Hughes made fraudulent transfers from club accounts to her own bank accounts between October 30, 2024, and April 16, 2025. She took a total of £67,708 from the accounts during that period, but put some money back in, making the total loss to Heol y Cyw RFC £59,251.
The defendant sought to hide her behaviour by using innocuous descriptions for each payment, such as utility bills. The theft came to light in April 2025 when the club had problems paying suppliers such as Glamorgan Brewery and were unable to pay for tickets to a Wales v England Six Nations match, which had to be deducted from a WRU grant.
Club faced insolvency
Club members provided financial assistance but problems kept appearing, with Hughes contacting Glamorgan Brewery to make an excuse about direct debit payments being inadvertently cancelled. The former treasurer Mrs Francis managed to view the accounts and discovered the amount of money that had been transferred to the defendant's account.
Mr Archer said Hughes admitted to taking money from the account but minimised the amount. The police were called and the defendant was arrested. She admitted defrauding the rugby club and told officers she had developed a serious online gambling addiction and had borrowed money from friends and family to fund it.
In a victim personal statement read to the court, current treasurer Kevin Francis said: "Heol y Cyw RFC was established in 1906 and served the village and surrounding community for 120 years. The club is run by unpaid volunteers who give considerable amounts of time to ensure it can continue operating. The rugby club has been an important social centre and has been part of village life for generations."
Mr Francis said the club had been left unable to meet financial commitments and the committee feared the club faced insolvency and would be forced to close. He added: "Committee members feel shocked, betrayed and overwhelmingly responsibility to try and save the club."
Sentence and repayment
Hughes, of Waun Bant Road, Kenfig Hill, Bridgend, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position. The court heard she has no previous convictions. In mitigation, Andrew Taylor said his client has since repaid the money to the club in full. The barrister said all the money the defendant stole was spent on gambling, and she was not using the funds to live a lavish lifestyle.
Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "Rugby clubs, especially those like Heol y Cyw, are mainstays of such communities. They rely on good people and volunteers who devote their time, energy and commitment to sustain them. You and your husband were beneficiaries of the services provided by the club and you repaid that debt that you and those close to you owed to the club by defrauding it."
Hughes was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid work and made subject to a probation requirement.
