Man found guilty of pocketing public funds while working four council jobs
A man has been convicted of fraud after secretly juggling four separate jobs across multiple councils and raking in a six-figure salary from public funds.
Bryn Howells, from Ebley in Stroud, Gloucestershire, pulled in £236,000 in salary and benefits between February 2022 and June 2023 by working simultaneously for Tewkesbury Borough Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Publica Group – a company delivering services for three local authorities. A fourth council role, obtained via an agency, was not included in the prosecution.
He kept quiet about his existing employment while applying for new posts and submitted false timesheets, claiming he was available to work when he was actually committed elsewhere, reports the BBC.
Mr Howells is due to be sentenced on August 28 for what one council branded a "serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds."
During his trial at Gloucester Crown Court, Howells insisted he didn't intend to mislead anyone and denied being motivated by money. He claimed he was simply trying to help councils struggling with staff shortages and that any failure to disclose his other jobs was an 'unintentional oversight.'
He told the court he believed the hours logged on timesheets represented time he was 'available' rather than actively working.
But prosecutors described his actions as 'nothing short of dishonest' and said that if any of the councils had known about his other full-time roles, they would not have hired him.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The roles he held included strategic housing and enabling officer, senior development surveyor, and valuer and estates surveyor.
The fraud came to light after a routine payroll review by Tewkesbury Borough Council's counter-fraud team.
Simon Dix, executive director of resources at the council, said: 'We are deeply disappointed by Mr Howells' actions, which fell far short of the standards expected of public servants.
"By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells' conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds.
"We have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and take matters of integrity extremely seriously.
"We have reviewed our internal procedures to help prevent similar incidents in the future.'
The councils involved are now seeking to recover salaries, pension payments, and national insurance contributions linked to the deception.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Woman dead after 'Asda armed robbery' as cops hunt for 'more victims'
A man aged 37 was arrested following a suspected armed robbery and he was later arrested again on suspicion of murder. A woman has been found dead after a suspected armed robbery at an Asda supermarket, police have said. Cops rushed to the store in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on Saturday evening. A man aged 37 was arrested in connection with the robbery before being arrested on suspicion of murder. West Yorkshire Police said they are trying to locate two more people, a man and a woman, who may have come to harm. Investigations are ongoing, reports the Mirror. A local resident said he saw police helicopter above the Asda supermarket area from around 1am this morning. He told Yorkshire Live: "It was creating some racket - it kept me up a bit. It was going off for a good hour or maybe more. It was going round in a circle with its beam on." Police said initial enquiries "suggest there are potentially two further people, a man and a woman, who may have come to harm." The force is carrying out enquiries in the Dewsbury area to locate them. West Yorkshire Police said: "As part of these enquiries, there is ongoing policing activity in the town centre, near to the River Calder and in Westtown." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector, Dan Bates of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "This is clearly a very serious incident, where a young woman has lost her life. "There is a heightened police presence in Dewsbury today as we work to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident. Our immediate priority is to identify and locate the two people and establish whether or not they have come to any harm. "A murder investigation is also underway and we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public at this time. "We recognise this inquiry will cause concern in the community; we are working closely with our colleagues in the local neighbourhood policing team, who have stepped up patrols in the town centre. "I would like to appeal to anyone who may have information that would assist to come forward and speak to us. We are also looking for any CCTV, doorbell and dash cam footage people might have to help our investigation."
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Toddler found dead on popular Greek tourist beach by horrified passer-by
A young girl was found dead on a beach near the Greek capital of Athens early on Sunday - and authorities are now carrying out investigations to determine what happened to her. A toddler has tragically been found dead on a popular tourist beach in Greece by a horrified passerby. The child, believed to be around two or three years old, was discovered on Eden Beach in Paleo Faliro, near Athens, in the early hours of July 27. Local reports say a man, from Egypt, spotted the girl's body on the shore and called the emergency services. Authorities rushed to the scene, where they located the child, who hasn't been identified so far. Her body was transported to the Agia Sofia Children's Hospital via ambulance, where doctors pronounced her dead. An autopsy will be carried out to determine the girl's cause of death, authorities have said. Greek newspaper Protothema reported that the child was wearing a full-zip bathing suit and was not wearing armbands when she was found. The publication added that there were no obvious signs of abuse on the girl. No child matching her characteristics has been reported missing in the area. Investigations are ongoing to determine the girl's identity and the circumstances of her death, reports the Mirror. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Last week, a British tourist was tragically found dead on his sun lounger on a popular Greek beach after reportedly becoming unwell. The 74-year-old was discovered unconscious on Stalis Beach on the isle of Crete by other people at the resort at around 12pm on Sunday, July 20. Emergency services rushed to the scene and made a desperate bid to revive the man, but unfortunately their efforts proved unsuccessful. It is understood that he had first gone for a swim before returning to the sun lounger and there are reports he had a "strong feeling" of sickness shortly before his death. Paramedics from Hellenic National Center of Emergency Care (EKAB) treated the man at the scene and no cause of death has yet been given by the Greek authorities. An autopsy was due to be carried out, reported It comes after several tragic beach deaths over the last few months involving British citizens on holiday. A 73-year-old man was found dead on a beach in Agia Paraskevi, Skiathos, in Greece. And a 68-year-old lost his life after going swimming and losing consciousness on June 12.
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scots bin lorry driver killed schoolboy cyclist after failing to check road
Ross Wallace first failed to realise he's struck Thomas Wong and continued driving before he eventually stopped and discovered the schoolboy lying in the roadway. A Scots bin lorry driver has admitted causing the death of a child who was cycling to school by failing to carry out proper checks as he pulled out of the car park of the world's oldest golf club. Ross Wallace struck 11-year-old Thomas Wong as he drove the NWH Group refuse truck out of the exit of the Royal Burgess Golfing Society car park in Cramond, Edinburgh last year. Wallace, 29, continued to drive the large vehicle unaware he had struck the child before he eventually stopped and discovered the tragic victim lying in the roadway. Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene following the collision with the Scania HGV refuse lorry at around 8.30am on March 1 last year. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told internal cab footage from the truck had captured Wallace "using his mobile phone on numerous occasions" over the course of three hours prior to the accident. The footage showed Wallace had failed to "keep proper observations of the road ahead while driving the bin lorry" and on one occasion he is viewed "using his mobile phone while reversing the HGV". The court was told the use of the mobile phone while Wallace, of Prestonpans, East Lothian, drove the bin lorry "occurred earlier on in the day and had no bearing on the collision" involving the child. Wallace pleaded guilty to causing the death of Thomas Wong by driving without due care and attention at Whitehouse Loan Edinburgh, on March 1 last year when he appeared at the city' s sheriff court on Thursday. He also admitted to a charge of driving while failing to keep proper observations on the road and on repeated occasions drive while using a mobile phone while reversing the vehicle. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Prosecutor Anna Robertson read out a written narration and said Thomas had been cycling along the pavement on his way to school when he approached the car park exit to the Royal Burgess Golf Club. Ms Robertson said: "On exiting the car park onto Whitehouse Road, the accused's vehicle struck Thomas, who at that time, was cycling on the pavement across the junction. "Internal dashcam footage of the HGV showed the accused looking around the car park as he proceeded to exit. "As he prepared to turn left onto Whitehouse Road, the accused was seen to continuously look to his right as he moved forwards, over the wall at the car park, towards the oncoming traffic in his direction. "The accused failed to make proper observations to his left and failed to account for any vulnerable road users crossing the junction and footpath. "Having heard a noise, the accused was initially unaware that he had struck Thomas. He stopped the vehicle and discovered the deceased on the roadway." The court was told a subsequent collision investigation had found the speed of the bin lorry had "reduced to 7.5 mph immediately prior to the point of impact with the deceased". Ms Robertson said: "The CCTV speed analysis shows that the driver of the Scania HGV has not reacted to the presence of Thomas and has continued diving south on Whitehouse Road." The investigation concluded the collision occurred due to the driver failing to "carry out visual checks prior to driving across the driveway where the deceased was cycling". The report also stated 11-year-old Thomas had "failed to carry out sufficient observations for vehicles which may be exiting the car park". The fiscal depute added: "In the opinion of the collision investigators, the accused's lack of caution at the car park exit has led to his being unaware of the initial collision with the deceased and to the vehicle continuing its journey southwards, whereby the Scania HGV has driven over the deceased, inflicting fatal injuries." Sheriff Alistair Noble issued Wallace with an interim driving ban and deferred full sentence for the preparation of social work reports to next month.
