Charity faker is shamed

Shaun Bradbury’s crimes centre around a ‘project’ called Dominic’s House which he set up because two of his sons have autism. Police today said Bradbury had “set out to steal and deceive and even went as far as trying to set up his own charity”.

Father-of-three Bradbury, who used to lived on Knott Lane, Walton-le-Dale, will appear before Preston Crown Court on December 12 for sentencing after pleading guilty to 10 counts of fraud. Eight of the charges relate to him dishonestly using a relative’s credit card where, in some cases, he used it to pay to set up ‘charity’ gigs he had organised.

The 35-year-old promised fans the chance to meet singer Andre at the Guild Hall on April 29, the day of the royal wedding. A spokesman for the Guild Hall said Bradbury had made a provisional booking for April 29.

More than 300 tickets were sold and Bradbury said actor Bruce Jones, best known for his role as cab driver Les Battersby in Coronation Street, 2009 X Factor finalist Jamie Archer, comedian Bobby Ball and Britain’s Got Talent finalists were set to appear alongside Andre.

But he later told the Evening Post Mr Andre had pulled out of the gig, which he used the services of a PR firm to promote, because he had been invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

But in his magazine column in February, Mr Andre wrote: “I was never booked to do the charity event in question so it was completely false.

“I have had to juggle some dates in April but, as far as I’m aware, I haven’t been invited to the wedding.”

A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Bradbury then booked a function room at the Park Hall Hotel, Chorley, for the event on April 29, telling them plans at the Guild Hall had fallen down. Bradbury said the event was being held to raise money for Dominic’s House, which was not registered as a charity.

On April 20, he fraudulently used a credit card to make the booking at the Chorley hotel, paying them £4,581 without their permission.

The event, including a meal, was held in the hotel’s Park Plaza room on April 29 with up to 180 guests watching entertainment including 2010 X Factor finalist Aiden Grimshaw.

Jonathan Butterworth, operations manager from Lavender Hotels which runs Park Hall Hotel, said: “The credit card came back as being a fraudulent transaction after the event.

“It’s quite a big loss for us which we have had to swallow. We reported it to the police.

“We did try to get in contact with Mr Bradbury but that failed.”

Bradbury also used his relative’s credit card on April 20 to pay £1,050 to set up a charity event at the Calf’s Head, Clitheroe, which took place on May 14 featuring Britain’s Got Talent finalists. DJ Keith Gunton said: “There were about 70 people there. It went all right and they had a raffle.”

Mr Gunton said he reduced the price for DJ-ing the event but never received his fee.

Bradbury also used his relative’s credit to pay a bill of £758.38, obtain £409.50 for himself, pay £123.90 to department store BHS, £2,000 to Ribblesdale Valley Park, Clitheroe and £72 to Horwich Hotel.

He is also charged with selling tickets for charity, intending to make a gain for himself to the sum of £4,500 and £1,250. A CPS spokesman said: “Shaun Bradbury pleaded guilty to 10 charges of fraud in total.

“He defrauded people out of money that they believed was going to charity but in fact he was using the money for his own benefit and he dishonestly used a credit card that didn’t belong to him.

Bradbury, now of Mill Lane, Gisburn, Clitheroe, declined to comment. The website for the Dominic’s House organisation is now unavailable.