A Tayside gymnastics club treasurer admitted she embezzled more than £30,000 from the group to fund a gambling habit.
Mhairi Ovenstone made thousands of pounds worth of transfers at a time from the coffers of the non-profit Pegasus Gymnastics Club in Newport to her own bank accounts.
Ovenstone had sole access to the club account and would often disguise the payments to herself under references titled “commission” and “A Star Leotards”.
The 48-year-old’s downfall began when the club was unable to pay for two hall hires in 2018.
Withdrawals from club account
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how Ovenstone, who is in employment, was volunteer treasurer and a committee member at the club between 2010 and 2020.
According to prosecutor Lynne Mannion, her role involved dealing with all invoices and bills and ensuring funds were spent properly.
Mrs Mannion said: “She was the sole treasurer and signatory of the club’s bank account, which was in her name.
“She was the only person with access to the account.
“Between January and December 2017, various transfers totalling £9,200 were transferred to her personal bank account.
“These were illegitimate.
“They had various references including ‘commission’, ‘A Star Leotards’ and ‘volunteers Christmas’, therefore appearing to be club-related.”
Transfers were made to online gambling sites including Virgin Games.
Ovenstone’s bank account was overdrawn at various times.
Hall hire questions
In 2018, a club member messaged Ovenstone to say the hire of halls had not been paid, believing there were sufficient funds to cover the cost.
It was revealed unpaid lets totalled £4,000, to which Ovenstone said: “I’ll sort it.”
Grant funding or a loan was suggested as possible solutions, to which Ovenstone said: “Yeah but I’m a signatory and I have a s*** credit rating.”
Ovenstone later informed committee members coaches had not been paid and said some club members had not been paying fees.
Resignation and health claims
The transfers continued through 2019 and into early 2020.
Ovenstone was being pursued for financial statements.
The statements confirmed the club was, according to Mrs Mannion, “in a poorer financial position than it should have been.”
Ovenstone, of Crosshill Terrace in Wormit, resigned in 2020 saying she had been ill and had suffered from a mental breakdown in May of that year.
She pled guilty to embezzling £30,176.51 on various occasions between January 1 2017 and February 11 2020 while acting as treasurer of Pegasus Gymnastics Club.
The charge states she transferred funds held in the bank account of the club to two accounts held in her name.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence until April for reports to be prepared.
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