Accountant jailed over £15,000 charity con

An accountant has been jailed for fleecing a Birmingham charity out of £15,000.

Anthony Collinson ripped off the 'Friends of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts' group and ploughed the cash into a Far East fashion venture.

The 72-year-old, who was treasurer of the organisation then altered the books to cover up his two-year scam.

He was jailed for two years and four months after admitting fraud by abuse of position at Birmingham Crown Court.

The registered charity raises money to help the Barber Institute of Fine Arts gallery and concert hall, based at the University of Birmingham’s campus.

A hole in the accounts was found in January 2014.

Mr Whitfield said Collinson, of West Green Close, Edgbaston, had been transferring amounts ranging from £1k to £3k from the charity’s deposit to its current account and then to his own account.

Some of the payments went to a former business associate of the defendant.

The court heard Collinson started syphoning off the money in February 2012, investing it in the fashion industry.

Mr Turner said the money paid for trips to China and fashion shows.

He said Collinson had held honorary positions as treasurer for a large number of associations, but he had been left with a massive debt to the charity and had suffered a “phenomenal” fall from grace.