Bradford children's cancer charity founder jailed for theft

The founder of a children's cancer charity has been jailed for stealing £87,000 from the organisation.

Colin Nesbitt, 60, set up the Bradford-based Little Heroes Cancer Trust in 2008 after his grandson became ill.

Nesbitt, who was featured in Channel 4 programme The Secret Millionaire in 2012, transferred the charity's money into other bank accounts and used some of it to provide unsecured loans.

He was jailed for 20 months after being convicted of theft and fraud charges.

Passing sentence at Bradford Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Gibson said Nesbitt, of Kent Road, Bingley, had used his position to "cream off" some of the money for himself.

He was convicted of stealing £87,000 and defrauding the charity out of a further £235,000 after a five-week trial.

His barrister Matthew Donkin argued significant amounts had been spent on legitimate charitable expenses and it could not be proven how much money had actually been lost.

He said his client was not a "sophisticated scheming criminal" and that since his conviction he had been spat at in a local supermarket.

Judge Gibson said while he was "satisfied" Nesbitt had not taken all the money his actions had affected public confidence in Little Heroes and, potentially, the wider charity sector.

"Money that could have gone for the alleviation of the plight of very sick children instead was spent for your own purposes," he added.

Back in 2012 Nesbitt and the charity featured in the Channel 4 programme The Secret Millionaire and received a £100,000 donation for its work.

The charity closed down some months after Nesbitt was arrested in 2015.

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