Scamming Girl Guide sisters jailed after stealing £450k through charity gift aid racket

Scamming Girl Guide sisters sentenced to jail for stealing £450k in charity gift aid scheme

Two sisters who operated Girl Guide groups in Leeds have been sentenced to jail for their part in a charity gift aid scam. Sara Barnbrook, 54, and Jean Barnbrook, 51, devised a scheme over a six-year period to falsely claim reimbursements from HMRC on fictitious donations, defrauding the public of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Sara fraudulently claimed over £482,000 in Gift Aid repayments, with £446,000 actually paid out, while Jean assisted with money laundering activities between 2013 and 2019. They used the stolen funds for luxury goods, travel, house renovations, and more.

Sara Barnbrook received a three-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to cheating the public revenue, while Jean Barnbrook was sentenced to 30 months for her involvement in money laundering. The court was told that the sisters operated Girl Guide units in Crossgates and Manston in Leeds and submitted false claims to HMRC under the Gift Aid scheme, claiming donations that never existed. The fraud was so extensive that some reimbursements were claimed after the units had closed down.

The scam was uncovered after an inquiry by HMRC was launched when Jean enquired about a Gift Aid payment for a Girl Guides unit that had been defunct for 18 months. The prosecution revealed that the sisters attempted to deflect blame by creating a fictitious person to take responsibility for the fraudulent claims. Despite their attempts to cover up their wrongdoing, the Barnbrook sisters were convicted and sentenced for their crimes.

Anastasis Tasou, Sara Barnbrook’s defence lawyer, highlighted her troubled upbringing and insisted that a significant portion of the embezzled money was used to benefit the Girl Guides. Meanwhile, Glenn Parsons, Jean Barnbrook’s defence counsel, emphasized Sara’s influence in driving the fraud. The judge condemned their actions as a “fraud against the public purse” driven by greed, alerting taxpayers of the repercussions of such crimes on the wider community.

The HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service expressed satisfaction with the sentences, emphasising that the sisters exploited their positions of trust to fund a lifestyle beyond their means. They hope the case serves as a warning to deter others from abusing the Gift Aid system for personal gain.

**Insights and Summary:**

The case of the Barnbrook sisters highlights the significance of integrity and accountability, especially in charitable organisations. It is concerning to see individuals misuse their positions of trust to engage in fraudulent activities, ultimately harming genuine charitable causes and the broader public. The judicial system’s response in holding them accountable sends a clear message about the severe repercussions of financial crimes. It serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and ethical conduct in handling charitable donations to uphold public trust and support legitimate charitable endeavours.