Latics Trust director jailed for fraud

Mike Nuttall: jailed

TRUST Oldham’s finance director has been jailed for 18 weeks after pleading guilty to six counts of fraud and theft.

Mike Nuttall (39), of Samuel Street, Levenshulme, fraudulently wrote six cheques from the Trust’s account between March 2011 and May 2012. He stole £2,425.

The fraud was discovered by Trust Oldham’s director Barry Owen, who found cheques written to Nuttall’s mum and other people and suppliers. Nuttall had forged Mr Owen’s signature on four of the cheques, then countersigned it himself.

The Trust was set up in 2003 when former Latics owner Chris Moore left the League One club in dire financial straits. The group was formed to save the club from liquidation and members paid £200,000 for a three per cent stake.

Defending Nuttall at Manchester Magistrates Court, Leveene Hill said her client had hoped to get a £1,200 tax rebate in 2011 (though didn’t) and had not been taking anti-depressant medication.

“That, along with not wanting to let his business partner and customers down, led to him taking money from the business, she explained.

But Judge Khalid Qureshi said Nuttall had taken money from working class people who had put their “hard earned money” into the club.

“The victims are anybody who goes to Oldham Athletic Football Club regularly and wants to see the club thrive. This is not an example of extreme financial pressure. That tax rebate did not materialise and he started to steal, effectively.”

Judge Qureshi said this had been a “catastrophic” breach of trust.