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Former Birmingham Dogs Home boss admits £640,000 fraud charges

A former boss of Birmingham Dogs Home has pleaded guilty to ten charges of fraud worth more than £640,000 over almost a five year period.

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Simon Price arrives at court

Simon Price, who was chief executive of the charity, which also runs the Sunnyside Centre in Coven, near Wolverhampton, admitted abusing his position as boss of the dogs home to arrange false payments and invoices for himself.

Three of the charges involved legacy payments of £40,000, £43,264 and £56,689. He also admitted arranging a fourth payment of £10,000 to George Green Solicitors and £9,690 for Corden Construction for himself.

Price made the admissions before district judge Jan Jellema at Birmingham Magistrates Court today.

The 53 year old also pleaded guilty to arranging a false payment for Ancol sponsorship of £23,800 and receiving a false payment of £399,350 for the sale of a building near the dogs home in Bartholomew Street, Digbeth, in the city centre.

The remaining admissions relate to arranging a false building regulation fee of £19,306 and two false invoices, both of £19,000, for himself. The total amount involved comes to £640,099.

The offences took place between February 16, 2012 and July 1, 2016, the court heard.

He pleaded not guilty to arranging a false invoice of £19,320 for One Creative for himself and laundering £914,538 between Barclays and Lloyds bank accounts.

His wife Alayna Price, 38, denied five charges of receiving legacy payments totalling £254,737 and also pleaded not guilty to the money laundering charge.

Alanya Price leaves Birmingham Magistrates Court

District Judge Jellema sent the case to Birmingham Crown Court because of the seriousness of the offences for a hearing on November 29.

The pair, of Somerton Drive, Marston Green, Solihull, were granted unconditional bail.