Tory official wrote cheques to himself - court

A former secretary of a Conservative association has been handed a 12-month community order after admitting writing two cheques to himself.

Joshua Yarham, 32, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court earlier after pleading guilty to two charges of fraud at a previous hearing.

The cheques were for £750 and £471.20, dated 16 March 2021 and 17 May 2021, respectively.

Yarham, who was also mayor of Market Deeping between 2020 and 2021, was ordered to pay the money back to South Holland and The Deepings Conservative Association.

Yarham, who represented himself in court, entered his guilty pleas on the basis he only paid the money into his own bank account to make his own balance look healthier until it was paid to the appropriate recipients.

As part of his 12-month community order, he must complete 100 hours of unpaid work, up to five rehabilitation activity requirement days and a mental health treatment requirement.

Yarham was told to pay the money back at a rate of £25 per week.

Passing sentence, Recorder Graham Huston told Yarham the most significant part of his case was the breach of trust.

Recorder Huston said the amounts involved were small, adding a prison sentence could not be justified.

He went on to tell Yarham that he would not have to pay any court costs because of the compensation order.

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