Volunteer hid and snatched bank card

A CALLOUS Widnes teenager who hid in a cupboard so he could steal a bank card from a Runcorn charity where he was supposed to been entrusted as a volunteer has been jailed.

Connor Southern, 19, was sentenced at North Cheshire Magistrates’ Court, where he was handed 16 weeks in a young offenders’ institution after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud and one count of burglary.

He was also ordered to repay the stolen cash.

Southern, 19, of Standish Court, Widnes, was a volunteer for the Canal Boat Adventure Project based at the Lord’s Taverners Woodside Youth Centre in Runcorn when the offence took place.

A Cheshire police spokesman said that as a valued member of the social inclusion project for young people, Southern had extra responsibilities, meaning that he knew the security codes for the building and also the PIN numbers of the charity’s bank cards.

On Sunday, January 11, the charity had been open as normal, closing shortly after 6.30pm, but while volunteers had been working Southern sneaked into the building and hidden in a cupboard.

After everyone left, Southern emerged from the cupboard and deactivated the alarm.

He then forced entry into the office, from where he stole the charity’s bank card.

Southern fled the scene and withdrew £600 from the charity’s account at three locations across Runcorn.

PC Dawn Taylor said: “To stoop so low as to target a charity is a despicable offence and I welcome the custodial sentence that has been handed to Southern.

“The Canal Boat Adventure Project provided an invaluable service to the local community, offering young people the opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people.

“The people who ran the charity welcomed Southern into the team and trusted him, helping him to develop new skills for his future. However he abused this trust and instead used it for his own personal gain.

“This case is particularly sad as while Southern has now been brought to justice the Canal Boat Adventure Project has since been forced to close following an arson attack at the Lord’s Taverners Woodside Youth Centre.”

The charity has earned many plaudits down the years including the late Sir Ken Dodd, who was a long-term patron and champion for its cause.