Hastings and Bexhill animal rescue volunteer convicted of fraud

Megan Baker
By Megan Baker
Published 10th Oct 2023, 13:26 BST
Updated 10th Oct 2023, 13:27 BST
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An animal rescue volunteer has been convicted of fraudulently using hundreds of thousands of pounds of public donations to pay for his own property, a court has ruled.

Chris Tucker was found guilty by jury following a five-day trial which concluded at Lewes Crown Court on Friday (October 6), Sussex Police have said.

Police confirmed that £190,000 was raised for Bexhill and Hastings Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue between 2017 and January 2019, which Tucker claimed would help to secure his semi-detached house – where the organisation is based – in a trust or community interest company.

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He also said the money would be safeguarded officially for good causes and not benefit him or anyone else personally, police added.

An animal rescue volunteer has been convicted of fraudulently using hundreds of thousands of pounds of public donations to pay for his own property, a court has ruled.An animal rescue volunteer has been convicted of fraudulently using hundreds of thousands of pounds of public donations to pay for his own property, a court has ruled.
An animal rescue volunteer has been convicted of fraudulently using hundreds of thousands of pounds of public donations to pay for his own property, a court has ruled.

However, in November 2019, police received an allegation that Tucker had used the public-generated funds to buy out his ex-partner and take sole ownership of the property.

Following enquiries, the 59-year-old, of Chantry Avenue, Bexhill, was arrested and subsequently charged with fraud by false representation, police confirmed.

Following the jury’s guilty verdict, the officer at court, Detective Constable Jake O’Reilly, said: “Evidence was recovered that Tucker had made [the] false representation to several witnesses, as well as on social media and in interviews with local radio.

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"But his financial records and Land Registry papers confirmed the money raised had instead been used by him to take full ownership of the property in Bexhill.

“The result of this fraud was that Tucker had acquired a large mortgage-free house and the rescue – which is not a registered charity – was not safeguarded by an independent trust which would make collective decisions on its future.”

Police Investigator Peters, who pieced together the investigation between 2019 and 2023, added: “This was a long and complex fraud enquiry involving a vast amount of donations and donators who were not given a true account of what would happen to their money.

"I am pleased justice has been served.”

Yesterday (Monday, October 9) at Hove Crown Court, Tucker was further convicted of one count of contempt of court in relation to messages posted on social media, which he pleaded guilty to, and his sentencing was adjourned to Friday, November 10 2023.