Disgraced Asda boss must pay £180,000 or face more jail time

DISGRACED former Asda executive Paul Kelly will have to pay back £180,000 he defrauded from the supermarket’s charity or face more jail time, courts have threatened.

The former vice-president of corporate affairs at Leeds-based, US-owned Asda pleaded guilty to the theft in January.

At Leeds Crown Court he was found guilty of diverting funds from the Asda Foundation flood victims fund to Murley Dance, a ballet company run by his partner, David Murley.

Kelly had worked at Asda for seven years, and was the company’s chairman for the charitable association.

He was dismissed in September 2014 following the internal investigation into the offence, which took place

In March, Kelly was imprisoned for a three year term after pleading guilty to seven counts of fraud.

Now the courts have told him that he must repay the sum or face another two years in prison.

According to Third Sector, Detective Inspector Jaz Khan, of the Leeds District Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “This was a very serious breach of trust by Kelly against a charitable fund that was there to help those in genuine need.

“We hope it will reassure people to know that the confiscation order granted means the full amount taken will be paid back to the foundation.

“West Yorkshire Police has specialist financial investigators who work closely alongside our criminal investigations to take the cash out of crime. We will continue to make full use of the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure that those who commit crime and benefit from it will not only lose their freedom but also their ill-gotten gains.”

DISGRACED former Asda executive Paul Kelly will have to pay back £180,000 he defrauded from the supermarket’s charity or face more jail time, courts have threatened.

The former vice-president of corporate affairs at Leeds-based, US-owned Asda pleaded guilty in January of the theft.

At Leeds Crown Court he was found guilty of diverting funds from the Asda Foundation flood victims fund to Murley Dance, a ballet company run by his partner, David Murley.

Kelly had worked at Asda for seven years, and was the company’s chairman for the charitable association.

He was dismissed in September 2014 following the internal investigation into the offence, which took place

In March, Kelly was imprisoned for a three year term after pleading guilty to seven counts of fraud.

Now the courts have told him that he must repay the sum or face another two years in prison.

According to Third Sector, Detective Inspector Jaz Khan, of the Leeds District Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “This was a very serious breach of trust by Kelly against a charitable fund that was there to help those in genuine need.

“We hope it will reassure people to know that the confiscation order granted means the full amount taken will be paid back to the foundation.

“West Yorkshire Police has specialist financial investigators who work closely alongside our criminal investigations to take the cash out of crime. We will continue to make full use of the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure that those who commit crime and benefit from it will not only lose their freedom but also their ill-gotten gains.”