A TRUSTED volunteer who stole more than £2,500 from a HIV charity to pay off his own debts was jailed for 15 months yesterday.

Stephen Cogdon, 24, worked at Wear Body Positive for five years before swindling the company's funds.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he was a volunteer with the charity, which offers support and counselling to those with HIV and guidance to lesbians, gays and bisexuals, and had keys to the office at Foil Street, Sunderland.

But Mark Styles, prosecuting, told the court how Cogdon forged signatures of the trustees and obtained £2,676 for himself.

At the time of his arrest, he was subject to a community punishment and rehabilitation order imposed by magistrates last May for stealing £1,500 from his mother.

The court heard that he had taken the cash she had saved for a holiday and spent it on hotels, meals, clothing and shopping. He admitted breaching the order.

Cogdon, of Telford Road, Thorney Close, Sunderland, also admitted six charges of obtaining property by deception, one of attempting to obtain property by deception and seven of forging cheques.

Defence barrister Ian Graham said: "Unfortunately the defendant is someone who has found it difficult to live within his means."

Judge Hodson revoked the community orders for the theft from Cogdon's mother and imposed a six-month prison sentence followed by a further nine months for taking the charity cash.