A FRAUDSTER conned good-hearted people in Derbyshire into donating clothes to his recycling business by pretending they would help "widows and orphans".
Danny McAllister, who runs DMAC Recycling Derbyshire, put posters on his red collection bins asking for help for "widows and orphans of our fallen heroes".
The 54-year-old then took the clothes to a recycling company and pocketed the cash he was handed.
Derby Crown Court was told that McAllister was making more than £90,000 a year from his business but prosecutors could not put a value on the proportion brought in through his scam.
A jury convicted McAllister of committing fraud over a 12-month period.
Sentencing him to a year in jail, Recorder Simon Ward said: "The most serious aspect of this case is that it undermines public confidence in charities and, if people were to hear that if a man who set up an operation like you did and ran it for 12 months didn't go to prison, it would send out the wrong message. Effectively what you did was to leech off public goodwill."
McAllister put out no fewer than 42 of his labelled bins in public places in Amber Valley, Chesterfield, Nottingham and Sheffield.
On the label was pictured a Union Flag with three figures dressed as police or service personnel. They read: "Widows and orphans of our fallen heroes. We're here to help the families of fallen heroes. We welcome all of your help and donations."
It also claimed to be a registered charity.
In July 2012, trading standards officers contacted McAllister, of Charlesworth Street, Bolsover, and insisted that he must make it clear that the concern was not a registered charity and, by April 2013, he had altered the appearance of the bins to the satisfaction of the authority.
Detective Inspector John Roddis said: "This was a heinous offence.
"DCs Catherine Meggitt and Michael Wallis worked tirelessly on a protracted investigation, which resulted in Danny McAllister being brought to justice.
"As the judge said in the case, McAllister's offending has undermined public confidence in giving to legitimate charities. I would urge people to continue supporting those legitimate charities and to double-check that the bins they are donating clothes to are registered to proper organisations."
