Heartless Kettering woman stole Poppy Appeal charity box

A heartless Kettering woman has been told to pay compensation after stealing a Poppy Appeal charity box from a pub.

Elizabeth Brown, 38, is the second person to be prosecuted after the incident which took place at Telford Lodge Brewers Fayre in Rothwell Road on November 17, 2019 - just six days after Remembrance Day.

At 10.45am Brown and her co-defendant James Sumner, 43, stole the box which was used for donations to The Royal British Legion in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day. The value of it at the time was unknown. Sumner was fined by magistrates earlier this year and told to pay compensation.

Brown, of Albion Road, admitted theft when she appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court this month.

Magistrates sentenced her to a community order with rehabilitation requirements.

She was told she would have to pay compensation of £50 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £90

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: “It is a sad state of affairs when money is stolen from any charity.

"We hope that Elizabeth Brown reflects on how low she has stooped here in order to ensure she doesn’t find herself in this situation again.”

Speaking after Sumner's sentencing hearing Ian Hunter, joint-chairman and secretary of The Royal British Legion's Kettering branch, said: "To steal from any charity is a heinous crime, it's not on.

"People freely give their hard-earned cash to their chosen charity and to steal from a charity, particularly one that helps our veterans, is just despicable."