Fraudster admits cashing cheques from parish church’s bank account

A church treasurer has admitted abusing his position of trust to cash cheques for his own benefit.

Edwin Reginald Wallace entered a guilty plea to the single charge against him when he appeared at Newry Crown Court on Thursday.

The 65-year-old, treasurer of Clonallon/Warrenpoint Parish Church in Co Down, cashed cheques from the parish bank account between August 13, 2019, and October 12, 2021.

Defence counsel Kevin O’Hare applied for sentencing to be adjourned to allow time for a pre-sentence probation report to be compiled.

He also suggested the matters could be dealt with after the Easter break.

Judge Paul Ramsey KC granted the application and adjourned the case to April 19.

ADVERTISEMENT

Learn more

Wallace, of Elmfield Villas in Warrenpoint, was freed on bail.

The judge told the fraudster it was in his interests to properly engage with probation services.

He added: “It’s important to give them as much information as you can about your background and the circumstances of the offence, so that I have all the information before me when I come to sentence you”.