Council candidate handed suspended jail sentence

A candidate who had been due to stand in a council election escaped jail by the "skin of his teeth" after defrauding a charity out of £28,000.

Daniel Turner, 39, who was a manager and trustee at the Meridale Youth and Community Centre in Sutton on Sea, previously admitted fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.

At Lincoln Crown Court on Monday, Turner, of New End, Horncastle, was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He must also complete 120 hours of unpaid work in the community.

The court heard Turner had used his position to divert more than £16,000 from Covid-19 grants to his own account between 2020 and 2022.

Turner also admitted claiming £12,000 which was meant for a dementia group based at the centre.

An impact statement from the Meridale trustees described Turner's actions as "a complete betrayal" of the organisation, which was set up by the late John Monk MBE.

Passing sentence, Recorder Simon King told Turner his behaviour was "reprehensible" and that he had escaped jail by the "skin of your teeth".

However, the judge accepted Turner had shown "genuine remorse" and was suitable for rehabilitation, adding he was satisfied Turner's children and ex-partner would suffer if he was jailed.

Turner was announced as the Reform candidate for Louth North in the Lincolnshire County Council elections on 1 May, but stood down in March after indicating his guilty pleas at Boston Magistrates' Court.

Reform UK said Turner's membership of the party had been suspended.

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