Charity head pleads not guilty to defrauding pension scheme
The former head of a charity for disabled people has denied defrauding its pension scheme of more than £250,000, sending the case to a full jury trial.
Appearing at Winchester Crown Court yesterday (28 May), Patrick McLarry pleaded not guilty to one charge of fraud by abuse of position, an offence which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.
His wife, Sandra, also appeared on four charges of money laundering and pleaded not guilty. The offence would see her imprisoned for up to 14 years if found guilty.
The case has been brought by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) in the first instance of it prosecuting over money laundering allegations.
The offences are said to have occurred between April 2011 and September 2013 when McLarry was chief executive and chairman of Yateley Industries for the Disabled, as well as a director of the pension scheme's corporate trustee company.
The pleas mean the case will now proceed to a full trial, which will be heard on 11 November at Salisbury Crown Court.
It is not the first offence for which Patrick McLarry has been investigated by TPR. He was previously prosecuted by the watchdog for failing to hand over information under section 72 of the Pensions Act 2004. After a trial in 2017, he was ordered to pay £6,620 in fines, court costs and a victim surcharge.
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