Former BB captain charged with £34k theft from church

Former BB captain charged with £34k theft from church

14 November 2018

A FORMER Boys’ Brigade captain will be sentenced next month for swindling more than £34,000 from Killinchy Presbyterian Church.

David Robert Morrow stood expressionless in the dock at Newtownards Crown Court as he pleaded guilty to 13 charges on Thursday.

The 55-year-old, from Ballydorn Road, Killinchy, admitted charges of false accounting, fraud by abuse of trust, fraud by false representation and transferring criminal property.

The court heard that between July 21, 2009, and May 17, 2011, Morrow dishonestly abused his position of trust with Killinchy Presbyterian Church as the captain of its Boys’ Brigade company.

He transferred £30,167.33 from the BB’s bank account into various bank accounts before 

transferring them into an account in the names of R David and Thomas Morrow.

Using his position with 1st Killinchy BB, Morrow accepted gift aid sums of £1,640.76 on January 18, 2011, and £2,609.56 the following day.

On April 4, 2011, he transferred £1,640.76 into a bank account in the names of R David and Thomas F Morrow.

Between April 20 and April 29, 2011, Morrow transferred £2,609.56 from Killinchy Activity Group’s bank account.

A prosecutor asked that six further charges of transferring criminal property charges be left on the books and not proceeded with by the Crown at the moment.

Morrow’s barrister, Mr Conor Holmes, said that his client had raised £34,417.65 and was ready to pay it into the court as soon as possible.

Judge Piers Grant warned Morrow: “I will grant you continued bail, but these are very serious offences and a serious breach of trust. Bail should not be interpretated that you will not receive a heaving sentencing.”

A pre-sentence report is to be prepared ahead of sentencing at Newtownards Crown Court on December 4.