Clergyman Caught Pocketing Funeral Fees Gets Suspended Jail Sentence
Vicars’ £50k Funeral Fraud Uncovered
Andrew Hawthorne, 51, from Bournemouth, has been slapped with a suspended prison sentence after raking in nearly £50,000 in funeral fees that should have gone to the Winchester Diocesan Board of Finance. The former Assistant Curate of Christchurch, Dorset, was found guilty of fraud by abuse of position and false representation at Winchester Crown Court on Monday.
£49k Funeral Fees Swiped In Secret
The court heard Hawthorne pocketed up to £49,059 between December 2009 and August 2013 by not paying the funeral fees to the Diocese or even declaring he officiated the ceremonies. On top of this, after converting to Catholicism, he illegally claimed over £3,000 in housing allowance from his previous employers, using the cash to clear his own debts.
Suspended Sentence and Community Service
Although suspended for two years, Hawthorne was handed a two-year jail sentence and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. The diocese had already suspended him in 2012 following financial red flags, which sparked the police probe after evidence surfaced from a clergy tribunal in 2015.
Police Hit Back: Fraudsters Beware
Detective Constable Lorraine Bell said: “Hawthorne claimed he was entitled to keep the fees due to a local agreement, but witnesses from the Diocese confirmed this was false. His long-running deceit violated church rules.”
“This case sends a clear message: fraud will be investigated no matter how long it takes or who is involved. If you suspect fraud, report it immediately.”
