Faye Dent, a 39-year-old grants manager at the Reece Foundation, a North East charity that encourages young people to pursue engineering, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position at Newcastle Magistrates Court. She transferred £31,493 of the foundation's funds into her own bank account through four transactions between September 23, 2024 and December 12, 2024.
Details of the Fraud
Prosecutor Chike Anieto told the court that Dent caused the transfers to be made to an account identified as her own. When confronted, she immediately resigned, and the foundation accepted her resignation. The stolen money was intended for use in North East communities.
Background of the Reece Foundation
The Reece Foundation was established in 2007 by Dr Alan Reece, a renowned engineer and businessman. Dr Reece began his career as an apprentice engineer at Vickers-Armstrong Works in Newcastle, later becoming a lecturer at Newcastle University for nearly 30 years. He acquired Pearson Engineering, which developed defence products like mine ploughs. After his death in December 2012 at age 85, his daughter Anne Reece now chairs the foundation.
The foundation recently proposed the 'Ouse Burn Way' initiative to regenerate the Ouseburn river area with wildlife, cycle paths, and walkways, following a study it funded that revealed raw sewage posed a significant health risk to swimmers.
Reaction from the Foundation
Anne Reece expressed sadness over the breach of trust, stating: "We are deeply disappointed by this breach of trust. As soon as concerns were identified, we reported the matter to the police and cooperated fully with their investigation. We have since enhanced our financial controls to help prevent anything similar from happening in the future." She emphasized that no public money was involved and that trustees remain committed to responsible fund management.
Court Proceedings
Dent, of Canon Grove in Jarrow, was crying and shaking during her appearance. District Judge Kate Meek committed the case to Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing, noting the magistrates' sentencing powers were insufficient. Dent was released on bail until her next hearing next month.
