Man used charity's money to credit his personal bank account
A man has admitted fraud of a foundation he set up to help families of children with disabilities and serious illnesses.
Scott Wright set up Bristol-based charity the Darren Wright Foundation but has now admitted using the charity's money to credit his personal bank account. He is yet to be sentenced but faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Speaking to ITV News West Country after Wright's guilty plea, one woman whose daughter has cerebral palsy said she will never forgive him for his actions.
Scott Wright appeared with his wife Melissa Wright before Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday 25 May.
Scott Wright, 45, of Leda Avenue in Hengrove, Bristol, pleaded guilty to abusing his position as a trustee to cause a loss to the Darren Wright Foundation by using the foundation's bank account to credit his personal bank account between May 1, 2012 and October 9, 2018.
An exact loss is yet to be finalised, the court heard.
The same charge against Melissa Wright, 34, of the same address, was left to lie on file. This means the case will not continue unless resurrected by the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.
The Recorder of Bristol, His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC, gave Scott Wright bail, pending a probation report for sentence on July 8.
The judge told him: "There is no indication of what the likely punishment will be.
"The range of options open include a custodial sentence."
"We were constantly fobbed off with excuses"
Angela Hodge's seven-year-old daughter has cerebral palsy. When she needed specialist surgery in America, the family rallied to raise £60,000 to pay for it.
Speaking after the court hearing, Angela told ITV News West Country that £20,000 of the money was raised through JustGiving and held by the Darren Wright Foundation.
But she said problems arose when they travelled from their home in Thornbury to Ilinois.
Angela claims the surgery almost did not happen as delays in getting money from the foundation meant the hospital bill was paid just hours before Ezzy's appointment would have been cancelled.
"It did eventually get paid but only on the day that we would have lost the date if payment wasn't made," she said.
"We were constantly fobbed off with excuses."
She told ITV she is "glad" Wright pleaded guilty, adding: "It's nice to put a lid on something that's been with us for four years but we've never once had an apology for what he's done. He's not shown any remorse, which is sad."