Finance chief stole charity's £150,000 to spend on fast cars and flying lessons

A charity's finance executive stole £150,000 intended to help the disabled and spent it on fast cars, flying lessons and a luxury flat.

John Cunningham took the funds from Dorset Scope - whose focus is on people with cerebral palsy - by writing out cheques which he cashed at the bank.

The 35-year-old county finance manager for the charity used the money to rent a home in Sandbanks, Dorset - one of Britain's most exclusive residential areas.

He also bought a £28,000 Lotus Elise convertible, a Lexus saloon and a Mitsubishi pick-up truck as well as buying a BMW and Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorbike and paying for flying lessons.

Cunningham covered his tracks over three years by creating false invoices which meant he never had to spend any of his own salary.

A judge has now warned the father of two he faces a lengthy jail sentence for the "despicable" crime.

Cunningham started working for Dorset Scope in Poole, Dorset, in October 2003 and began siphoning off funds three months later.

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Over the next three years, he stole more and more money. During this period, he separated from his wife and began dating a Scope employee, but neither woman knew what he was up to.

A former colleague said: "On the surface, he appeared to be very calm and a quiet family man, but was capable of deceiving those closest to him."

If anyone questioned his apparent wealth, Cunningham claimed he had business interests abroad.

Detective Constable Michael Garrett, from Poole CID, said yesterday: "Stealing from a charity is a despicable crime. Cunningham hid his tracks in the accounts computer system by creating false invoices from the charity's suppliers.

"As well as buying a Lotus sports car, he had a Lexus and Mitsubishi and bought both his ex-wife and new partner a Fiat people carrier and a Chrysler."

Cunningham had lived in a modest home in Merley, near Wimborne, Dorset, but moved to a luxury flat at Sandbanks after separating from his wife.

"He spent all the stolen money, but never touched his own salary," said Mr Garrett.

"Because of his position within the charity, no one suspected him of any wrongdoing."

But after three years of deceit, a guilty conscience finally led the fraudster to hand himself in to police and confess his crimes.

At Bournemouth Crown Court, Cunningham, now of Ferndown, Dorset, admitted theft.

He was told to surrender his passport and will be sentenced next month.

After the hearing, Paul Barnard, chief executive of Dorset Scope, said: "The shock on finding that a member of staff could use a position of trust to steal such a large sum of money intended to provide valuable resources to some of the most vulnerable people in Dorset was almost too great to bear."