Extreme athlete fundraiser in court accused of defrauding charity

An extreme athlete who raised thousands of pounds for the charity Help For Heroes went on trial today accused of defrauding the organisation.

Mike Buss from Highworth in Wiltshire is alleged to have put money, raised at events, into his own bank account - and then not passed on the full amount.

The court was told a senior officer at the charity became concerned at the physical and financial strains that Mr Buss was putting himself under.

The prosecuting barrister told the court Mr Buss had no independent income - apart for a £2,800 a year army pension.

The prosecutor told the jury that at his fundraising events, people gave money by putting it into buckets. Mr Buss would put that money into his own bank account. Some of that money would then be transferred to another of his accounts named 'Beyond Impossible' - money which then went to Help for Heroes.

But, the prosecution also alleged that some of the money Mr Buss raised hadn't made it as far as the Beyond Impossible account.

In broad terms, this is what the prosecution claimed:

Mr Buss denies these allegations - and the charges of fraud and theft. The case continues.