Woman who set up charity after brother’s death appears in court accused of fraud
ANTI-KNIFE CRIME CAMPAIGNER ACCUSED OF POCKETING MONEY FROM FOUNDATION
A WOMAN who led a high-profile campaign to tackle knife crime after her brother was brutally stabbed to death in Hull has appeared in court accused of pocketing money from her own charity.
Kayleigh Pepper is accused of defrauding the Rich Foundation over a four-year period from its launch in 2016, shortly after her brother Rich was killed.
Ms Pepper made local and national headlines after she set up the Rich Foundation in memory of her brother and helped to raise money to help families and victims of crime.
She joined a Hull Live initiative No More Knives to raise awareness of knives and stamp out knife-related crime.
But Pepper, 35, of Albert Avenue, Hull, has appeared in court on a charge of fraud involving the Rich Foundation – an unregistered charity set up in memory of her brother Richard Pepper after he was fatally stabbed in east Hull aged 25.
Ms Pepper is accused of fraud by abusing her position as a trustee of the Rich Foundation to make a gain for herself by using its money for her own purposes between July 1, 2016, and April 9, last year.
Pepper appeared before Hull
Crown Court under the name Kayleigh Towler and the case was adjourned.
No plea was taken.
Prosecutor Felicity Hemlin said that an updated case summary, with more details of the matters involved, would be prepared.
Judge David Tremberg told Pepper: “I am sorry we can’t make progress. It was hoped that the purpose of today’s hearing would be to identify what your plea would be and to take the matter on from there one way or another.
“Unfortunately, there seems to have some mix-up and your barrister isn’t here. You are going to have to see him.”
Pepper was wearing a heavy green coat with a hood, black trousers and black shoes.
As she left court with her father, she put on a big yellow bobble hat and had a large black bag with her.
It was confirmed in court that
Kayleigh Pepper and Kayleigh Towler are the same person.
Pepper started the Rich Foundation after her brother Richard, 25, known as Rich, was stabbed to death in a shocking street attack in Egton Street, east Hull, in 2015.
The man who delivered the fatal blow to Rich’s heart, Daniel Flatley, was jailed for 11 years for manslaughter.
Pepper had become a leading anti-knife campaigner and had spoken out earlier this year after the tragic death of Corey Dobbe in Hull.
Pepper had appealed to the people of Hull to take knife crime seriously and wanted Corey’s family to find justice.
She spearheaded Hull Live’s No More Knives campaign aimed at educating people about the dangers of carrying knives and she did so in her brother’s memory.
The campaign was supported by Humberside Police.
She said at the time: “Rich was a big lad, standing over 6ft tall and weighing around 18st, yet one stab wound ended his life
“The blade tore through several organs, almost cracking his eighth rib, eventually piercing his heart. The wound caused so much damage internally he had five full blood transfusions.
“The hole in his heart was finally repaired, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead, leaving us absolutely heartbroken.”
She asked on Facebook: “What will it take for people to take knife crime seriously?
“How many more families have to suffer? How much more pain do loved ones have to go through?
“Six years of missing him and it never gets any easier. Our hearts ache more every day.”