Volunteer jailed after stealing over £2,000 intended for the military charity in Hamilton

A five month prison sentence has been handed down to a man who embezzled £2,000 meant for Help for Heroes while fundraising in Asda Hamilton.

David Andrew Kennedy, a company director, was told by Sheriff Ray Small he was guilty of a “despicable crime” – and that he feared far more was stolen.

The value of the fraud was only pinned to the cost of a fundraising pack sent to him by the charity, though no-one knows how much Kennedy actually took from the public.

The 39-year-old claimed to have served in the military but suspicious members of the public raised concerns after he set-up a fundraising stall in the Hamilton branch of Asda on 5 May, 2012..

Kennedy subsequently plead gulilty to embezzling £2,031.

Sheriff Small told the former Larkhall resident: “I have read the reports and I have no faith that if I give you the chance to repay the money that it will ever be repaid.

“The charge of embezzlement is a despicable crime and Help for Heroes is a very popular charity with the public because of the work it does with war veterans.

“We will never know how much money you actually took because the value was only that of the cost of the volunteer pack to set up the stall.”

Kennedy’s five month sentence was reduced from six due to his early guilty plea.