The former manager of Dryburgh Athletic U9s boys’ football team has been found guilty of stealing money from the club.
Kevin Freeston (45), of St Kilda Road, was convicted by Sheriff Gilmour of theft of around £1,500 from the club, between July 30 2008 and June 5 2009.
Freeston had originally been charged with defrauding the club out of more than £3,700 but following the trial, which began in January this year, Sheriff Gilmour ruled he was guilty of the charge of simple theft.
The trial heard evidence that Freeston had deposited more than £1,500 of club funds in his daughter’s bank account.
Audrey Mooney (39), who was then chief fundraiser for the group, told the court she first became suspicious after Freeston refused to let her see the books.
She added that there had been ”talk of a couple of bouncing cheques” and said they were ”obviously concerned” as they thought there was enough money in the bank to cover the cheques.
Mrs Mooney told the court that when Freeston provided figures of the last year’s incomings and outgoings ”the arithmetic was wrong”.
Freeston’s successor, Gary Taylor, said the former manager told him he had forgotten he had put the money in his daughter’s account when asked about missing funds.
Mr Taylor said when he took over as manager there were no accounts and all he received was a ”made up” spreadsheet in which the sums ”didn’t add up”.
Mr Taylor said he became aware cheques had bounced, meaning the players were not covered by the SFA insurance scheme and their payment for membership of the Dundee Youth Football Association had not gone through.
Mr Taylor eventually told the parents then went to the police.
The trial also heard money was ”coming in and going out” of the club and nobody was keeping accounts.
Signatory Susan Coats said she started to ask Freeston to see the books to check how much money was in the account following fund-raising. ”He kept coming up with excuses, ” she said.
Eventually in August 2009, Mrs Coats went to Lloyds TSB where the account was held and asked for a statement.
She discovered there was not the £1,500 Freeston had allegedly led her to believe.
”I went into the bank to ask to see, ” she said. ”That’s when I found we had £16.99.”
She said Freeston told her he had lost the cheque book and someone else must be writing cheques in his name.
Sheriff Gilmour deferred sentence on Freeston for reports until June 7 and ordained him to appear on that date.