Crooked Vicar Sidesteps Jail Over Funeral Fee Fraud
A bungling vicar has dodged prison despite being found guilty of swiping thousands in funeral fees. Andrew Hawthorne, 51, from Bournemouth, raked in cash he should have handed to the Winchester Diocese.
Clergyman Caught Keeping Funeral Money
Hawthorne was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Monday 24 June after a jury convicted him of fraud by abuse of position and fraud by false representation. The crooked curate pocketed a whopping £49,059.25 between 2009 and 2013 while serving in Christchurch, Dorset.
The court heard he refused to pass fees from funerals he led to the Diocese of Winchester. What’s worse, he never declared officiating those funerals as church rules require.
More Money Misappropriated After Church Switch
Later, after converting to Catholicism, Hawthorne still received £3,097.10 in housing allowance from his previous Anglican employers. He failed to tell them he was no longer entitled to it and used the funds to clear personal debts.
Suspended, Yet Still Sly
The Diocese suspended Hawthorne in 2012 after spotting financial shenanigans. A 2015 clergy tribunal handed evidence to Hampshire Police, sparking a major investigation by the Economic Crime Unit.
Slap on the Wrist Sentence
The court handed Hawthorne a two-year jail term — but suspended it for two years. He must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Meanwhile, action under the Proceeds of Crime Act is ongoing.
Detective Constable Lorraine Bell warned: “Hawthorne claimed he had a local agreement to keep the fees, but witnesses proved otherwise. His long-running fraud broke church rules. This verdict shows we won’t ignore fraud, no matter how long it takes. If you suspect fraud, report it.”
