Animal charity boss jailed for nearly £900,000 fraud

The boss of an animal charity has been jailed for five years for fraud after taking £894,754 over four years.

Simon Price was chief executive of the Birmingham Dogs Home charity but his gambling addiction meant he ended up funnelling cash from the charity into his personal account - taking £894,754.

53-year-old Price spent £640,000 on an online gambling website.

The money taken had been intended to keep animals "safe and warm", but Birmingham Crown Court heard how Price spent thousands on gambling, trying to recover more cash on his losing bets.

Price also sold his £399,000 house to fund his habit.

The court heard none of the money he took had been repaid and it was unlikely to be recovered.

Price admitted 10 counts of fraud and his 39-year-old wife, Alayna Price, pleaded guilty to five offences.

Mother-of-one Alayna Price, who is seven months pregnant, was spared jail.

The judge imposed a two-year suspended term on her after hearing about her personal circumstances.

She was the commercial manager of the charity and she funnelled five 'legacy payments', including one for £150,000 which went into her personal bank account, which was spent on paying off credit cards, a loan, and the couple's wedding in 2016.

She did pay back £130,000.

The couple, of Somerton Drive, Marston Green, in Solihull - were sentenced at the same time, separated in the dock.