GOSH donations fraudster jailed for role in organised scam

Stephen Chesterman, of Eversley Road, Benfleet, admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation after going out collecting donations for the public under the guise this money would go to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

In reality, he was part of an organised fraud gang which would collect funds across the country - often collecting donations in buckets outside supermarkets - for Children in Need, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, The Children’s Society, The Christie Charitable Fund and MIND.

Caged - Stephen Chesterman (Image: Lancashire Police)

A large portion of the funds were kept by 63-year-old Chesterman and other members of the group including mastermind David Levi.

The evidence showed there had been no agreement with the charities that any of the money could be retained by the collectors.

Levi, 47, would use his office base in Blackpool to co-ordinate the fraudulent collections under the guise that the money would all be handed over to the charities whose logos were being displayed. 

The gang of fraudsters ran such a sophisticated scam that they even went as far as designing and making fake charity material including ID badges, pull-up banners and even a Pudsey Bear suit.

Initially, some of the charities gave their support to Levi’s collection activities, when they believed what was happening was legitimate. Levi lied to and manipulated the charities and as time went on many became suspicious and tried to prevent their names being used.

A total of approximately £500,000 was identified as cash deposits into the accounts of the group, of which less than 10 per cent was paid to the various charities.

Levi, who was jailed for five years, was assisted in the office he had set up by Kaysha Beck. Both are from Lytham St Annes. Other defendants - Howard Collins and William Ormand, of Blackpool - helped organise collections and assisted Levi with tasks. 

They also went out collecting themselves, as did the final defendants Martin Ebanks, from Oldham, Robert Roy Ferguson, from Blackpool, and Stephen Chesterman.

David Levi (left) and Martin Ebanks (right) (Image: Crown Prosecution Service)

Chesterman has been jailed today for a year and 10 months.

Hayley Cooper from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The actions of David Levi and the criminal group deprived life-saving charities of significant amounts of money.

“Members of the public gave their money generously and in good faith, perhaps reassured by seeing the logos of national charities.  Sadly, the majority of the donations were pocketed by the defendants.

“Whenever money is collected for charity there must be absolute transparency and in bucket collections, every penny donated must go those charities.

“At the CPS, we have specialist teams to prosecute cases of serious fraud such as this and we work closely with investigators to bring perpetrators to justice.”

The CPS will seek to confiscate assets the group gained from their criminal activity and put in place appropriate measures to prevent them offending in the future.