AN ANDOVER charity has confirmed that the work it does for young carers of the town has not been affected after its former manager was given a second suspended sentence last week for stealing a substantial cash donation.

Former manager of Andover Young Carers Lorena Milton was sentenced by a judge at Winchester Crown Court last Thursday to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, since a jury returned a majority guilty verdict to the charge of stealing a cash donation of more than £2,300.

As previously reported by the Advertiser, Milton stood trial before Judge Susan Evans, accused of the theft of a cash donation of £2,345.27 by Give-a-Gift.

The voluntary fundraising group raised the money through a number of events before visiting the defendant at the Churchill Bungalow on April 25, 2012, handing the cash to her in a plastic container.

There was never any dispute that Milton had received the cash, it is what happened to it afterwards that was disputed.

Last week’s guilty verdict is the 52-year-old’s third conviction after she received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in June 2013 for fraudulently using the charity’s credit card for personal use before perverting the course of justice by staging a burglary to cover up the fraud.

At the trial last week, Miss Jodie Mittell prosecuting said: “What had been happening towards the end of 2012, Ms Milton was misusing the charity credit card buying personal items.

When the matter was investigated by the charity she staged a burglary. In January 2013 she called the police to say there had been a burglary when in fact she had been the one who had taken items relating to the credit card being investigated.”

Police found a folder reported missing with documentation in it relating to the credit card fraud in the boot of her car.

It was after the media coverage of that hearing that Wayne McGregor, founder of Give-aGift, became suspicious that their donation may have not got to where it should have gone and an investigation was launched by the trustees.

No receipt had been given at the time or a thank you letter subsequently sent and there was no record of the money ever being banked.

Milton, of Egbury Road, St Mary Bourne, said that she cannot remember what happened to the money, whether she put it in the bookkeeper’s locked draw herself or whether she gave it to another member of staff to do so.

In the prosecution’s cross examination of the defendant, Miss Mittell put it to Milton that she was responsible for the money in her £30,000 role.

Milton replied: “I was not responsible, I had so much else going on.”

Responding to her barrister’s questioning about whether she took the money, she said: “I did not take the money I was accused of taking.”

Judge Evans also sentenced her to 250 hours of work in the community.

Following sentence, charity chairman Helen Mehaffey, said: “The hearing in Winchester Crown Court on November 16 relates to historic matters already addressed by Andover Young Carers. In January 2013 financial irregularities were found following routine checks. The police were informed and Lorena, the manager of the charity, was charged in relation to a number of matters. She pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and perverting the course of justice in May 2013.

The charity dismissed her as manager with immediate effect.

“I am pleased to say that these matters have not affected the help and care provided to our Young Carers and the issue was dealt with promptly and efficiently."