Mum of jailed ‘bombing hero’ stole charity cash
THE mother of the homeless man who stole from victims of the Manchester Arena bomb has admitted stealing nearly £4,000 from a lifeboat charity.
Jessica Parker, 58, pocketed the funds while working as a secretary for the Sea Palling voluntary lifeboat in Norfolk.
Her homeless son Chris Parker, 33, had been hailed a hero after claiming he helped victims of the bomb which killed 22 people last May.
Abuse
He later admitted stealing a teenager’s mobile phone and a purse from Pauline Healey as her 14-yearold granddaughter lay dying.
He was jailed for four years and three months in January.
Norwich magistrates heard how Jessica Parker took £3,847 from the lifeboat charity between March 7 and June 30, 2016.
Parker admitted 10 counts of fraud by abuse of a position of trust and will be sentenced on May 25.
Prosecutor Andrew Nickerson said she had been acting unofficially at the charity which has an inshore lifeboat. She was found out by the new treasurer who went through the accounts in July 2016.
“He noticed payments made directly to the defendant,” Mr Nickerson said.
“He asks her about this and describes her as ‘flying off the handle’ about the questions asked.”
Mr Nickerson said a committee meeting was held and the secretary was confronted with the claims, but she denied any wrongdoing.
Parker, of Norwich, was suspended from her role and made a full denial to police when interviewed, the court heard.
Mr Nickerson said: “She said the money was used for legitimate purposes.” But he added that Parker could not explain the irregularities in her bank statements.
The charity's chairman said the thefts meant it had to postpone buying new equipment until more money could be raised.
Parker had been estranged from her son for several years at the time, but was reunited with him in Manchester after the bombing.