Former RSPCA Shropshire boss must sell home after stealing £184,000 from charity
A former chairman of the Shropshire branch of the RSPCA who was jailed for fraud has been ordered to sell his property to repay the missing money.
The 70-year-old used the ill-gotten gains to pay off credit card and store card bills which he had run up buying expensive clothes and other items.
On Thursday he returned to Shrewsbury Crown Court for a proceeds of crime hearing which was told that he was released from prison on July 10 this year.
Ralphs is subject to a confiscation order totalling £174,359.60 which he must repay.
Mr Robert Edwards, representing him, said the cottage had not yet attracted a buyer despite being on the market at first for £185,000 then reduced to £170,000 in September.
He said it was now being suggested by the Crown Prosecution that it should be put up for auction instead.
"We would ask for more time to try and sell it privately and to attract more interest rather than for auction which would under value it," Mr Edwards added.
The court agreed, but ordered Ralphs to repay £100 within seven days, followed by £100 monthly repayments for the time being. He must also provide the court with details of his bank accounts.
Ralphs was the chairman of the community group between 2014 and 2017 and admitted fraud by abuse of position.
The fraud was uncovered three years ago when an accountancy firm noticed that in 2015 the books had been said to have been examined by one of its retired accountants. In fact Ralphs had prepared the accounts and forged the person's signature.
A subsequent investigation that followed showed 30 transactions of money being paid out of the charity account to Ralphs and cash being withdrawn amounting to £184,001.
Ralphs, of Sutton Road, in Sutton Farm, Shrewsbury had been living beyond his means and insisted that that the other branch trustees had not been involved in the deception.
The hearing was adjourned until December 11.
