Mark Xavier Butler

A COUPLE alleged to have stolen money after making fraudulent National Lottery funding applications may stand trial in October.

Hilda Philomena Butler, 41, and her husband, Mark Xavier Butler, 40, are accused of fraudulently obtaining up to £165,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, on various dates between December 2001 and December 2004.

They are alleged to have stolen £69,108 of the money, acquired as a result of funding applications supposedly for children's activity clubs and after-school provision.

Three of the applications were made for sums totalling £35,801 for children's holiday clubs in Hurworth School, near Darlington, where Mr Butler was a former games master.

Two bore false details, including names of people who had not agreed to act as referees, supposedly endorsing the bids.

A further three applications, also said to have carried false particulars, were for a total of £33,307 earmarked for nursery provision for facilities next to Morrisons, in Morton Park, Darlington, which never got off the ground.

The biggest single amount alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by the Butlers was £95,652 for a children's club on the Dalton Park retail centre, in Murton, east Durham.

It is said the application was backed by the forged signature of a relative of Mrs Butler.

Mark Xavier Butler

But, the prosecution allege it would have been automatically improper as applicants' relatives are unable to act as referees in such bids.

The Butlers, who were previously charged with one count of theft and seven of obtaining by deception, appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday.

They were expected to have submitted their pleas, but Christopher Knox, prosecuting, said the charges are to be simplified to two of theft and five of obtaining by deception, relating to the same sums of money.

A plea hearing is now expected to take place next month at Teesside Crown Court, where the provisional trial, which may take up to four weeks, has been pencilled in for October 6, should they deny the allegations.

The Butlers, of Galphay Road, Killinghall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, were bailed to appear at Teesside for the plea hearing, on a date to be confirmed, in late June.

2:04am Friday 9th May 2008

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