WISBECH: Conman who stole almost �1,000 from charity is jailed for four months

A CONMAN who stole almost �1,000 from a charity that supports the families of seriously ill children has been jailed for four months – but has not been ordered to repay the money. Brian Hurle had been paid to carry out maintenance work on Acorn House at A

A CONMAN who stole almost �1,000 from a charity that supports the families of seriously ill children has been jailed for four months - but has not been ordered to repay the money.

Brian Hurle had been paid to carry out maintenance work on Acorn House at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, run by the Sick Children's Trust.

But he never returned to do the work, and pocketed the cash to pay his own bills, Cambridge magistrates were told.

Hurle, 39, of Mount Pleasant Road, Wisbech, admitted stealing �960 from the charity between September 2008 and March 14 this year.

Presiding magistrate Mary Duff told Hurle: "This was a particularly unpleasant crime."

Last month Hurle told the Wisbech Standard that illness had stopped him working at the unit, and he vowed to repay the cash.

Acorn House provides "a home from home" for families whose children are receiving hospital treatment for serious illnesses.

Manager of Acorn House, Joy Worship, said: "Brian Hurle has caused many hours of work, distress and heartache for all concerned. It will take us a long time to recoup this amount of money.