Former chief executive of Butterwick Hospice facing jail after admitting credit card fraud

A hospice boss whose arrest cost the charity £100,000 in lost donations isfacing jail after he admitted a long-running fraud.

Graham Leggatt-Chidgey, 62, pleaded guilty to abusing his position as chiefexecutive of Butterwick Hospice by using its credit card for his personalexpenditure over nearly eight years.

He had previously denied all the charges against him, but changed his plea on the day his trial at Teesside Crown Court was due to begin.

Granting him bail, Judge Sean Morris told him: "Don't read into it that thisis anything other than a custodial sentence.

"This gives you time to get your affairs in order."

The hospice - which has facilities in Stockton-on-Tees, Bishop Auckland andWeardale - was set up by Mary Butterwick in 1984 with her own money from the sale of her house in memory of her husband John after he died from cancer.

Leggatt-Chidgey, who lived near Barnard Castle, County Durham, was chiefexecutive for 21 years.

Since he was arrested last year, the charity, which needs £4m a year, believed its donations were down by £100,000.

Outside court, Judith Hunter, chair of the trustees, said: "The ButterwickHospice has been the victim of a terrible crime committed by one individual.

"We know that people have lost faith and confidence in the hospice, however I'm glad the story is now out there for people to hear.

"I ask people to get behind the hospice, it's really important we continuewith the legacy Mary Butterwick introduced many decades ago."

He will be sentenced for a single count of fraud on June 11. The prosecutionwill offer no evidence on one charge and another will lie on file.