THE CHAIRMAN of a Pembrokeshire of a football club tried to con the council out of a Covid grant by claiming a derelict and tumbledown shed was actually a gym.

Owen Duggan, 41, falsely made a bid for £4,000 in pandemic support by claiming the shed was a facility used by players of the club but a visit to the site by a suspicious inspector revealed the truth – Swansea Crown Court heard.

After a council investigation the police were called in and the defendant found himself charged with fraud.

The court was informed that Duggan was perceived as a pillar of the community, who was deeply ashamed of his false claim for his club.

During the trial, prosecutor Jim Davis informed the court that Duggan was the chairman of Fishguard Sports AFC in Pembrokeshire at the time.

The club, which had played its home games at St Mary’s Field owned by the Diocese of St. David’s for 80 years until 2017, was established for 80 years.

He said under the terms of an oral agreement struck in 1947 the club would pay a “small amount for rent” annually for use of the field. The court heard that in 2017 the club moved to a new home at Tregroes Park and at that point it emerged it had not paid any rent on St Mary’s for the last decade.

The court heard that after the changing rooms at St Mary’s were demolished, a shed was left in place and access to the field was closed due to insurance liability issues. In June and October of 2020, Duggan, who was the chairman of Fishguard Sports AFC, applied for Covid funds from Pembrokeshire Council on behalf of the club to support its operations during the pandemic restrictions.

He received grants of £10,000 and £1,000, respectively. However, in January of the following year, he made a third application for £4,000, claiming that the shed was a gym used by the club.

Mr Davis said an inspection of the site was carried out and it was found the shed was “very dilapidated and had not been used for some considerable time” and no evidence could be found it had been used as gym.

An internal investigation was carried out and then the police were alerted to what appeared to be a fraudulent application.

The prosecution’s case was that Duggan’s claim about the shed being used as a gym was false, and he was arrested and questioned but denied any wrongdoing. Duggan, of Heol Dewi in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and was appearing in court for sentencing, with no prior convictions.

Duggan’s barrister portrayed him as a respected community member who greatly contributed to the local area, and pointed out that the case was unusual as the defendant would not have personally benefited from the money even if the application was successful.

He also noted that the club’s financial records showed they were not in difficulty at the time of the fraudulent claim.

The defence stated that Duggan, a loving father of two, was filled with regret and shame for his actions and the negative impact it had on his family and the club.

He had voluntarily resigned from his job at Pembrokeshire County Council as a result of the charge.

Judge Paul Hobson told the defendant: “You are not being sentenced for getting into a muddle or for making an honest mistake. You are being sentenced for fraud. Your actions were thoroughly dishonest”.

The judge said in his view the fact the fraud involved Covid funds was an aggravating factor and he said people who abused those funds could ordinarily expect a prison sentence. Judge Hobson said he accepted Duggan was remorseful for his actions and that the loss of his good character would be a punishment in itself for him.

He also noted the motivation had not been personal gain but he told the defendant he had been “risking the club’s good name” by what he did. Duggan was sentenced to a 12-month community order and must complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs.

The court heard the football club tried to return the money from the fist two grants even though they had been properly obtained but that proved impossible and the money ended up in some sort of leisure fund at the local authority.