Raigmore kids' ward bogus charity woman jailed
A bogus charity collector who pocketed the cash rather than it going to help the children’s ward at Raigmore Hospital has been jailed for six months.
Charlene Flint had been going round doors in Inverness claiming she was going to to be doing a sponsored run from Nairn to the city for the Archie Foundation.
She denied the charges and the case went to trial yesterday (Thursday) but after the evidence of three witnesses was heard she changed her pleas and was jailed by Sheriff Margaret Neilson.
Flint, (29), of Lilac Grove, Inverness denied had pleaded not guilty to a fraudulent scheme by pretending to be collecting for the charity on behalf of the children’s ward at the city hospital between June 17 and July 9, 2011 and that she obtained money by fraud.
But she later changed her plea and admitted commiting the offence between July 7 and 9.
Retired couple Alison and Michael Holmes told Inverness Sheriff Court that a woman came to their home in Duncraig Street twice in July, 2011 asking them to donate and sign a sponsorship form.
Mrs Holmes said a woman came to her door on July 8 in a track suit and she handed over £2 to the collector. She said she could not recognise the woman but remembered the form stating the money was for the Archie Foundation.
Mrs Holmes could not identify her signature on a form presented as evidence.
She told the court she thought her pen was running dry.
Asked by depute fiscal Stewart Maciver if she had any concerns about this lady turning up at her door, she said she did ask the woman where the race was.
The woman told her it was to be on the back road between Inverness and Nairn.
"I don’t think she knew when it was. I think you should know if your going round houses asking for money," added Mrs Holmes.
She said she never acted upon her suspicions but when she told her husband he contacted the police.
Mr Holmes said a woman, who he could not identify, came to their door the previous day (July 7) and he declined to give any sponsorship money.
"I said I don’t really sponsor people and handed it back to her and didn’t give her any money. I’m always giving (sponsorship) outside."
He said in evidence he recognised his wife’s name on the form but he wouldn’t recognise the person who came to his door.
Constable Michael Cosh (23) told the trial that on July 9 he was told to go to Inshes Crescent where two women were knocking on doors trying to get people to sign sponsorship forms.
He said they arrived about 8.25pm. One woman was at a door and another was walking to another address.
He said on the basis of allegations the police had received the two women were arrested and one of them was Flint.
Both he said were in possession of the forms and they were taken to Burnett Road police station.
