Judge said sentence could have been more severe

A former BBC journalist has been given an absolute discharge after being tried for stealing charity cash.

Sina Graham took £1,000 from a fundraising event in Edinburgh organised to raise cash for the Lyle Cornet Foundation.

Tyson Fury donated a pair of boxing gloves for auction at the star studded event four years ago held at the city’s Corn Exchange.

The £75,000 raised at the event was to be used to adapt Lyle’s home who has an incurable brain tumour.

It had originally been alleged £10,145 had gone missing but the Crown accepted Graham’s plea to the reduced amount shorty before a trial was to begin.

Defending solicitor Victoria Good said Graham has now paid the £1,000 back to Lyle’s foundation.

Sheriff Adrian Cottam said: “It goes without saying that had you been convicted of the charge as it read, it was a very significant crime and one that may well have resulted in you spending time in prison.

“However on this occasion there was no intention to embezzle as such, but the £1,000 should have went to the charity and you failed to pass it on.

“Given your lack of record and your age and this offence ending up at the very lower end in my view any punishment would be expedient.

“In all the circumstances I will grant you an absolute discharge.”

Lyle’s mum, Lyndsey Cornet, 27, said: “I’m glad she’s admitted her guilt and I think she’s very lucky.

“We’ve had to go back and forward to court for this case. It’s been hanging over us while we wanted to focus on Lyle.

“We want to concentrate now on making memories with our son because we don’t know how long we’ve got him.”

The fundraising efforts gathered £75,000 towards the £90,000 needed to upgrade the family home in Loanhead, Midlothian.

They were able to create a bedroom and a wet room on the ground floor, so Lyle doesn’t have to be carried up and downstairs, after taking a £15,000 loan to cover the shortfall.