Man pleads guilty to fraud after £20,000 of poppy appeal donations 'went missing'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A man has pleaded guilty to fraud after £20,000 of poppy appeal donations in collection tins went missing. Sean Kevan Pullen abused his position as the chairman of Liverpool's branch of the Royal British Legion by stealing the tins instead of returning them six years ago.

He previously resigned, declaring he was busy with other commitments, a week before the missing money was reported. He has now pleaded guilty to fraud after the Royal British Legion brought a private prosecution against Pullen, after money reportedly went missing between October 1 and December 31 2018, reports the Liverpool Echo. READ MORE: "My community are good people": High-profile TikTokers speak out after young Travellers turned away from Manchester A source close to the case told the ECHO that Pullen claimed he was medically unfit to stand trial.

The source said: "After both the defence and prosecution medical experts found he was fit to stand he has changed his plea to guilty." The ECHO reported in November 2022 that Liverpool Magistrates' Court granted an application made on behalf of the Royal British Legion for a warrant to arrest Pullen.

After Pullen failed to return the collection tins or offer sufficient explanations of their whereabouts, all attempts by Royal British Legion officials to meet him were rejected on the basis he was unavailable.