Gambling addict stole over £850,000 from theatre

A gambling addict who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from Leicester’s Curve Theatre to fund her habit has been jailed.

Curve's head of finance Karen McGowan transferred more than £850,000 to her husband Graham's bank account over a 16-month period.

Mrs McGowan's crimes came to light in April 2019 due to the scale of money transfers from the charity's funds, and she pleaded guilty to three charges in March.

But Mr McGowan initially denied knowing the money had been transferred to his account, until at trial this month he changed his plea to guilty.

On Friday, Mrs McGowan, 50, was jailed for four years and 10 months for two counts of fraud by abuse of position and one count of concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.

Mr McGowan, 57, admitted entering an arrangement which he knew or suspected facilitated the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property and was handed a 23 month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will take place in March 2025 to attempt to recover some or all of the £868,804.31 taken by the couple, of Harlequin Road, Sileby, Leicestershire.

Curve's chief executive Chris Stafford and artistic director Nikolai Foster said in a statement that the case had been "an incredibly challenging time" and thanked those that helped bring the couple to justice.

Nicole McIntyre, from Leicestershire Police's economic crime unit, said Mrs McGowan was a gambler who used Curve funds to feed her addiction.

Ms McIntyre said McGowan "carried out a callous act knowing that as part of her job she was entrusted to manage the charity’s finances".

She added McGowan had taken "full advantage of the trust that was placed in her and her role".

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