Couple ordered to hand over cash raised for homeless man Johnny Bobbitt

Johnny Bobbitt, left, with Kate McClure and Mark D’Amico (Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer/AP) Credit: AP/Press Association Images

A couple who raised more than 400,000 US dollars (£308,000) for a homeless man after he gave up $20 to fill up their fuel tank - have been ordered to turn over what is left of the cash.

A New Jersey judge issued the order during a hearing on a case brought by Johnny Bobbitt, who is concerned Mark D’Amico and Katie McClure have mismanaged a large part of the donations raised for him on GoFundMe.

McClure set up the fundraising page to give back to Bobbitt, who came to her aid when she ran out of fuel on an exit slip road in Philadelphia late one night in October.

More than 14,000 people have made donations.

Chris Fallon, the lawyer representing Mr Bobbitt, appears in court after filing an injunction against the couple. Credit: AP

The couple deny those claims, saying they are wary of giving Bobbitt large sums because they fear he will buy drugs.

The judge ordered the couple to transfer the money into a third-party account by the end of Friday and hire a forensic accountant to review the financial records within 10 days.

The money will be transferred to an account controlled by Bobbitt’s lawyers but cannot be used until the judge determines how it will be managed.

The judge did not appoint a guardian to oversee the fund, but one could be appointed later.

Bobbitt set off on foot to buy McClure some fuel, she did not have money to repay him at the time, but sought him out days later to pay him back, and visited a few more times to bring food and water.

Johnny Bobbitt claims the couple are not giving him the money raised on his behalf. Credit: AP

They later appeared on various US shows and conducted a number of interviews together, but the relationship has turned sour.

McClure and D’Amico have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or misusing any of the money.

D’Amico has said Bobbitt spent 25,000 US dollars (£19,300) in less than two weeks in December on drugs, in addition to paying overdue legal bills and sending money to his family.

The couple also bought Bobbitt a camper with some of the funds and parked it on land McClure’s family owns in Florence.

But Bobbitt became homeless again after Mr D’Amico told him in June that he had to leave the property.

During an appearance on Monday on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today show, Mr D’Amico said there is well over 150,000 US dollars (£116,000) left of the donations.