Dad critical as scammer Scouts boss avoids jail

A decision to spare a senior Scout boss jail, despite him admitting responsibility for a £200,000 fraud scam, has angered a parent of one of the scouts, who has called the judgement "disappointing".

Robert Sidley, of Henry Street, Worcester, pleaded guilty to fraud at Worcester Crown Court on Monday, where he received a 32 month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also instructed to complete 220 hours unpaid work.

Simon Carter, from Worcester, said the 46-year-old's crime had stolen a "once in a lifetime experience".

Carter's son was one of 100 children who had been looking forward to a two-week trip to Canada, after more than a year of fundraising.

Carter added: "The effects will be felt long after this court case is over, and I worry about what the sentence tells young people about how seriously this kind of crime is taken."

Sidley was the Hereford and Worcester County Scouts' commissioner, a role he held from 2017 until earlier this year.

Hereford and Worcester Scouts Association contacted West Mercia Police on 9 January after the funds ringfenced for the excursion were unexpectedly removed from a charity account.

Each scout involved had paid £2,750 for the trip which was set to take place in either July or August before it was cancelled.

A spokesperson for the Scouts has since confirmed all "appropriate refunds have now been made".

"When concerns became known to us, we took immediate action to ensure that no young person or family was left out of pocket", they said.

The spokesperson added: "As soon as concerns emerged, Hereford and Worcester Scouts reported the matter to both the Police and the Charity Commission and fully supported the investigation throughout."

Speaking to the BBC, Carter said: "While I am glad families have been refunded, this sentence feels disappointing given the harm that was done.

"Volunteers gave countless hours trying to save it, and trust in Scouting has been badly shaken.

"It was never just about money. Our children spent years fundraising, preparing and looking forward to a once in a lifetime experience that was taken away from them by one man."

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