Greedy secretary of Morley social club plundered £52,000 from coffers to fund lavish lifestyle
A crooked secretary spent years plundering a social club’s bank accounts, pushing it almost to the brink of closure.
Dean Hayward was in charge of finances at Bruntcliffe Working Men’s Club in Morley and constantly reassured members that the institute’s finances were in a healthy position.
But behind the scenes the devious worker was slowly draining the club’s two accounts and living a lavish lifestyle, holidaying on cruises and buying Rolex watches, Leeds Crown Court heard.
The 50-year-old was spared immediate custody this week, but was told to pay back £50,000 over the next two years.
The court heard that Hayward, of Elmfield Court, Morley, was in charge of the day-to-day finances and had access to the club’s bank cards.
He was given the role in 2019 and began to make regular cash withdrawals of £250 from ATMs around the country, with amounts then being deposited into his own account.
From January 2020 to March 2024, it was thought he took almost £52,000, and all the while was telling committee members that the club had around £10,000 in reserve.
He was quizzed by an accountant at one stage, and to cover his tracks he told them cash was used to make roof repairs to the Bruntcliffe Road club. He then carried on siphoning the club’s cash.
His deception only came to light in March 2024 when the club received a letter confirming that a VAT payment from one of the club’s accounts had not been taken because of insufficient funds.
Following checks, it was found one of the accounts had reached its £10,000 overdraft limit, while the other contained amounts that were “much lower than expected”, prosecutor Victoria Barker said.
The total amount he stole came to £51,686. He was arrested on October 27, 2024, and two Rolex watches were seized from his home.
Hayward admitted theft from employer and has no previous convictions.
He was interviewed twice and claimed he was threatened by builders from whom he obtained a quote for the roof repairs to the club. He said they threatened him and his family to hand over £31,000.
But in mitigation, Anastasis Tasou said he was instructed by Hayward not to put forward any “reasons or excuses”, including the threats claim.
He added: “He fully accepts that what he did was wrong and for a prolonged period of time.
“There’s a genuine level or remorse. He wants to do the right thing. He accepts his wrongdoing.”
He said that Hayward was “eternally grateful” to the other committee members for working to keep the club afloat.
Mr Tasou claimed that custody would “achieve nothing” and could prevent Hayward paying back the money he stole.
He works as a pest controller earning up to £55,000 a year, has been married for 26 years and has two grown-up children.
Judge Tahir Khan KC said he would refrain from imposing immediate custody to give Hayward the chance to pay back what he stole.
He told him: “This was, on any view, a gross breach of trust. You knew that.
“The loss is in excess of the sum of £50,000.”
He gave him 24 months’ jail, suspended for 24 months, which is the maximum suspendible sentence length available to the judge.
He also ordered he complete 250 hours of unpaid work and gave him a compensation order to pay back £50,000 over the next two years.
It was ordered that Hayward surrender the two Rolex watches at the police station.