article_snippet.sent: father-of-three fraud was only uncovered after Media Association had problems paying Media Association creditors and Howard started to dodge emails and phone calls.
article_snippet.sent: Howard rang a fellow member from a pay phone admitting the fraud and offering to repay £20,000.
article_snippet.sent: Dominic Webber, defending, said Howard got into debt and used money to pay bills and was 'extremely sorry for what Howard has done.'
article_snippet.sent: This was blatant, categorical deceit over time.
article_snippet.sent: Howard fraud was only uncovered after OPMA had problems paying OPMA creditors and Howard started to dodge emails and phone calls.
article_snippet.sent: Sentencing, Judge Simon James told Howard Howard victim was a not-for-profit organisation which had been operating for more than 80 years. '
article_snippet.sent: This was a systematic, prolonged and flagrant piece of dishonesty.
article_snippet.sent: Howard was jailed for two and a half years and mouthed '
article_snippet.sent: It seems to Howard the money was used to fund a comfortable living for you and your family rather than out of real desperation.'
article_snippet.sent: Detective Constable Barry Carr described it as a 'serious abuse of position' and said Howard had shown a 'flagrant disregard for the trust and responsibility placed in Howard'.
article_snippet.sent: Detective Constable Barry Carr added that Detective Constable Barry Carr deceit had nearly brought the long-established organisation to the long-established organisation knees financially.