A FORMER Vauxhall worker has been jailed for stealing nearly £80,000 from a Catholic church social club where he was treasurer.
James Varnals, 63, of St Margaret’s Avenue, stole from the St Joseph’s Parish Centre Club, in Gardenia Avenue, over three years to fund his gambling habit.
Varnals was left in sole charge of the club’s accounts after becoming treasurer in July 2008, and Luton Crown Court heard on Friday that the club’s steward would pass on the details of each week’s takings to him.
His job was to work out the club’s expenses and create a balance sheet, but discrepancies came to light when the club got into financial difficulties and a committee member, who was an accountant, investigated.
Police were called and Varnals admitted taking the money.
Sandra Beck, prosecuting, said: “He claimed that at no time did he steal more than £1,100. He didn’t realise how much money he had taken. He was waiting for one big gambling success to pay it back.”
Defence counsel Stuart Sprawson said Varnal’s gambling addiction had started with bingo.
“Things progressed and eventually he became ill with that addiction,” he said.
Mr Foster said Varnals, a grandfather, had frittered away his redundancy payout from Vauxhall, where he had been a middle manager.
Judge Richard Foster said it was “tragic” to see him in the dock.
“You and people like you have been the backbone of this town. You went on to carry out public spirited work by becoming treasurer at St Joseph’s social club but it it there that the praise has to stop. But you took money that you knew was not yours, using false accounting to cover your tracks.”
Jailing Varnals for 16 months, he said: “A custodial sentence is the only option.”