A 39-year-old former Kesgrave man stole more than £1,000 from a couple who helped him set up a project to provide meals for hospital and hospice workers during the coronavirus pandemic, it has been alleged.
The couple, who ran the Steamboat Tavern, Ipswich responded to a Facebook ad in 2020 from Richard Wiper appealing for help to provide meals for key workers in Ipswich Hospital’s critical care unit and St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
The couple, who had been forced to close the pub during lockdown, offered the use of their commercial kitchen to prepare meals and a Meals for Medics Facebook page and a GoFundMe page were set up.
The court heard that between March and May 2020 around 1800 meals were provided to Ipswich hospital and hospice staff by the project.
Read more
‘Foolish’ drug dealer tried to sell cocaine to his probation officer
Ipswich man guilty of raping woman he claimed had kissed him first
Teen found guilty of manslaughter while adult cleared
However, Juliet Donovan, prosecuting, alleged that despite sending Wiper receipts for items they had spent money on such as food containers and other supplies, Andrew and Susannah Barlow only received one payment of £144 from Wiper and were left £1,275 out of pocket.
The court was told that Wiper allegedly ignored requests to send Mrs Barlow screenshots of money in the GoFundMe account and she had been forced to reset the password to check if there was still money in the account.
Wiper also allegedly “bad mouthed” Mrs Barlow on Facebook and accused her of stealing money that had been donated.
Giving evidence during Wiper’s trial she told the court that she had been left “upset, embarrassed and extremely anxious” by Wiper’s public accusations and some of his messages to her, which she described as “ quite threatening”.
She claimed that one of the messages said: “If you f*** with me see what happens”.
“We were just trying to provide meals for key workers at the hospital and hospice who were working long hours,” she said.
She said that her mother had donated £500 to help with the project which had also received donations from friends and customers and she was anxious to know that their money was being put to proper use.
Wiper, who was living in Main Road, Kesgrave, denies stealing £1,275 between May 8 and May 29 2020.
His trial, which is being heard in his absence, continues.
Share