'Deceitful' ex-Comber scout leader stole £9k

'Deceitful' ex-Comber scout leader stole £9k

3 April 2019

A FORMER scout leader who stole around £9,000 of money from 1st Comber Scouts to spend on himself has been told by a judge that he is “not a decent person”.

Ben Ross (23), who now lives and works in Essex, was given an enhanced combination order of 100 hours of community service and two years’ probation at Downpatrick Court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud by abuse of position.

The court was told he used a debit card given to him by the scout group to buy holidays, tickets, two drones, items on iTunes and to pay for electricity between November 13, 2016, and July 4, 2017.

A prosecutor said Ross, of Annalee Gardens, South Ockendon, had been a member of 1st Comber Scouts since he was aged 10 and had risen up the ranks to become a leader.

It was the practice of the group to give leaders a debit card in order to pay for things needed by the group for its members, he said.

However, Ross was challenged by some of the other leaders in July 2016 about his spending.

He twice denied using the card for anything other than for the group before the full extent of his spending became known.

The court heard that Ross bought two drones at £1,300 which were later able to be sold as second hand for £590 after his spending was uncovered by an accountant. 

Ross did pay back £2,000 to the scout group in November 2017 and was asked to leave the scout group.

His barrister said that Ross had come to the court with a £7,000 banker’s draft to pay the rest of the money owed to the scout group.

He said the money had been raised by Ross’s extended family and included an overpayment to serve as a “donation to the group”. 

He said Ross was “fully embarrassed and disappointed in what he did” but that he used the card during a time of “great personal stress” in his life.

The barrister further told the court that Ross came from a good family background and that he felt “a deep sense of remorse, not only for what he had done but for what he put his family through”.

Ross’s manager from an outdoor pursuits centre where he works travelled over from England to give him a good character reference in court.

She said that she and the centre’s owner was made aware by Ross about his impending court case before he was employed. 

She told the court: “We like to give people a second chance.”

However, Judge Piers Grant criticised Ross for his “pre-meditated actions” and said: “It is very clear to me that this was just a purely deceitful, hypocritical act of selfishness on your part and that you took the money to spend it on yourself.”

The judge said that while Ross was paying back the money, “it is very clear that you have not actually suffered here” as the money was raised by his family, adding: “I hope you pay back every single pound as your family has saved your bacon.”

He said that the combination order could be enforced in England.

Although Judge Grant said he had heard character references for Ross, he told the defendant: “You are not a decent person. You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.”

Ten other charges of fraud by abuse of position were left on the books.