FORMER Falkirk FC cashier Paul Deans was fined #750 yesterday for
defrauded the club of #3000 to spend on his girlfriend.
Deans, 24, of Highcross Avenue, Melrose, admitted the charge at
Falkirk Sheriff Court.
His father, Hamish, the club's former chairman, and his brother,
George, the ex-vice chairman, were cleared of embezzling #7200 from the
club after a nine-day trial.
However, Hamish Deans, 55, of Bannerfield House, Selkirk, the managing
director of Scottish Borders Abattoirs, was fined #200 after being found
guilty of defrauding the Meat and Livestock Commission of #73 over
flight tickets to attend a meeeting at its Milton Keynes headquarters.
Depute procurator-fiscal Petra Collins told the court that police
launched an investigation after they received a telephone call alleging
that Paul Deans was spending a lot of money, which he had embezzled from
Brockville, on his girlfriend.
Ms Collins said that between February, 1991, and his resignation in
April, 1992, Paul Deans, now a part-time music teacher and cinema
projectionist, took cash in ''dribs and drabs'' from the club's cash
float for home games.
Police found that his bank account revealed that he had used #1550 of
the club's cash to pay for the insurance on his girlfriend's car.
Paul Deans's lawyer, Mr Alistair Duff, said: ''He always intended to
pay the money back but he allowed the sums of money to get out of
hand.''
Sheriff John MacDonald said he noted that the money had been paid back
by Hamish Deans but he told Paul Deans: ''You were in a position of
trust.''
The sheriff cleared Hamish Deans and his other son, George, 27, a
Lauder butcher, of seven embezzlement charges.
They included obtaining Access cards for club business from the
Clydesdale Bank without holding a legally required board meeting for
authority, and using club cash to repair a house in Lauder, owned by
Hamish Deans, which the club then let to Paul Deans.
It was also alleged Falkirk FC paid for publicity pictures of Hamish
Deans and his wife after he was appointed chairman and for a mobile
phone for Mr George Deans's car.
Mr Duff told the court that Hamish Deans and his wife had been the
victims of a hate campaign at the club's Brockville ground, with
poison-pen letters being sent to their home.
Outside the court, Mr Duff said Hamish Deans and Mr George Deans were
''delighted'' at the verdicts, adding: ''The sheriff made it clear that
their dealings with Falkirk FC were perfectly proper.''
The trial had heard an independent audit of the club's books had
revealed a shortage of #30,000. When professional fees and interest were
added, it came to around #70,000.
Hamish Deans told the court he had made up the missing money because
he felt that, as chairman, he was responsible for the running of the
club. He added that he also wanted to defend his son, Paul.
Hamish Deans and Mr George Deans sold their 57% controlling stake in
Falkirk to Mr George Fulston last year.
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