Last updated at 08:46, Thursday, 07 March 2013

HUNDREDS of members of a society were left shocked when they discovered almost £68,000 had been stolen from their bank account.

• Related article: Barrow fraudster left victims £115,000 out of pocket

Barrow businessman Andrew Rae, 34, was jailed for three years on Monday after admitting theft and fraud totalling £115,000.

His crimes included defrauding Furness Enterprise of £41,000 and stealing £67,730 from the Lakeland District Lodge of the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society.

Rae, of Roose Road, Barrow, is the grandson of society member Eric Pickston, 86, who oversaw the club’s accounts.

Rae offered to help his granddad but instead stole the club’s money.

Andrew Porter, a spokesman for the society, said its 500 Barrow members paid an annual fee in return for financial help with dentist and optician’s bills or emergency loans in times of need.

The lodge had been left with just £300 in its coffers and been forced to merge with a branch based in Carlisle so it could continue providing money for its members.

He said the society was stunned when it found out about the theft, which Rae covered up by forging bank statements.

“That was nearly £70,000 that would have been better used to serve members,” said Mr Porter.

“It was disbelief more than anything. The club just didn’t deal with those kind of sums. The society would no more have written a cheque for £30,000 than flown to the moon.”

Rae also fraudulently claimed grants from Furness Enterprise by claiming he was employing people who did not actually work for his company North Atlantic Systems.

Val Robinson, funding and new start manager for Furness Enterprise, said during monitoring visits, Rae had presented staff who he said worked for him, as well as providing faked P46 forms and payslips.

She said: “It is always a shock when something like this happens, but we followed all the procedures and we know all we have done is according to the funders’ guidelines.

“I suppose if people want to do things like this they will do it.”

First published at 15:58, Wednesday, 06 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk