Father Jailed For Cancer Theft

A man who stole hundreds of thousands of
pounds
from children's cancer charities –
including one he set up to help his own
son – has been jailed for five years.
Kevin Wright stole a total of £171,500 from
the Bobby Wright Cancer Fighting Fund,
with the cash used to fund his "interests,
investments and personal lifestyle."

The 49-year-old was found guilty of 10
counts of theft and two of fraud by false
representation following a trial at
Nottingham Crown Court last month,
Skynews reports.
In sentencing Wright, Judge Greg Dickinson
told him he was "not a latter day Robin
Hood," adding "your actions risked
damaging confidence" in charitable giving.

Wright, who lived in Devon before moving
to Staffordshire, set up a number of
successful appeals for sick children
between 2005 and 2008.

These included the Bobby Wright Cancer
Fighting Fund and a company called
Bobby's Fund, set up for his son, Bobby,
who was diagnosed with a rare form of
cancer, neuroblastoma, in April 2005, at the
age of three.

The funds were intended to pay for his
specialist treatment overseas but after it
was decided he no longer needed it, Wright
turned
his attention to raising money for
other child cancer sufferers.

He also stole cash and credit balances from
appeals he set up to raise money for
cancer treatment for three-year-olds Callum
Kaye and Armani Mohammad.
Jurors were told he gave £20,000 to a
friend who ran a used-car business and
that he put £60,000 into Premium Bonds.

Another £30,000 was used to buy the Toad
In The Hole restaurant in Exeter, Devon,
while a further £30,000 was invested in
the Royal Oak pub in a village close to his
home.

During his trial, Wright said he had wanted
to help others in a similar situation after
Bobby, who is now 11 and cancer-free,
responded well to a variety of therapies.

But the court heard that some of the
money raised went into Wright's personal
bank account.

Members of the public donated £720,000
to the Callum appeal after being told the
money was being collected to pay for
treatment for the child in the US. Callum
was not treated overseas.

The judge told Wright: "You never intended
that he would be treated in the US."
He added that he would "not accept any
suggestion that all he was doing was
trying to help other children" and that it
was "something more selfish and
arrogant" than that.

Speaking outside court before he was
sentenced, Wright said the funds were
"spent on other children for the same
purposes as what it was spent on my son
…it was spent in the spirit in which it was
raised."

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