A woman has been hauled before the courts after she set up a GoFundMe page to pay for her mum's funeral before pocketing the cash herself. Danielle Kelly raised £3,470 on the fundraising site after he mum died on May 9 last year.

One person donated £1,000 with her uncle doing the same. But instead of spending the money on its intended purpose, the 29-year-old used the cash on 'rent, bills and living costs.'

Kelly, of Compton Road, Baswich, Stafford, contacted the council to say she was struggling financially and she needed help with the funeral costs. On September 1 last year, Kelly spoke to the coroner's officer to ask to have a council funeral.

Prosecutor Sara Beddow said: "On September 22 it was confirmed she had made no contact with a funeral directors to pay for the funeral. It was paid for by Derbyshire Council.

"Enquiries with the bank confirmed her bank account was credited with £2,000 on June 30 last year. Her balance on August 3 was £134. She obtained £3,470 towards her mother's funeral costs but did not use the money for its intended purpose and requested that the council pay for it instead."

In her police interview Kelly confirmed she received £2,000 from the two donors and said she spent it on 'rent, bills and living costs'. Miss Beddow added there were claims for compensation for the two people who paid £1,000 and Derbyshire Council which paid £1,760.

She pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. Representing herself, Kelly said: "I committed the offence due to the financial circumstances I was struggling with at the time. I feel really bad for doing so. I do regret what I did."

Kelly is currently jobless and has not repaid the cash. District Judge Stephen Hayes sentenced Kelly to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, with a rehabilitation activity requirement for 15 days and 140 hours unpaid work. She was ordered to pay a total of £1,500 compensation with £500 to each of the three parties entitled to a payment. There was no order for costs.

District Judge Hayes said: "It is difficult to think of how you could have acted in a worse way than you did. Not only did you take advantage of the generosity of members of the public and close friends by way of a GoFundMe page but you also took the money from family members and outright lied to them about what the money had been spent on.

"You should be thoroughly ashamed of your actions. There was a huge element of breach of trust, not just with family members but members of the public and friends you asked for donations from.

"You asked for donations over a significant period of time and even lied to the funeral staff who waited for you to tell them what you wanted to do for your own mother's funeral. I genuinely find it difficult to comprehend how you could behave in that fashion."

The judge said it should have been an immediate jail sentence but he was prepared to suspend it because of the delay in the case coming to court.

The Case Against Kelly

The prosecutor presented a strong case against Kelly, outlining the chronology of events and the evidence that supported the charges. She pointed out that Kelly had raised funds for her mother's funeral but had not used the money for its intended purpose. Instead, she had spent it on her own needs. The prosecutor also highlighted the fact that Kelly had requested the council to pay for the funeral, which further demonstrated her intention to defraud the donors.

Kelly's Defense

In her defense, Kelly expressed remorse and acknowledged her wrongdoing. She attributed her actions to the financial difficulties she was facing at the time. However, her defense did not address the issue of her deceitfulness and failure to fulfill her promise to use the funds for her mother's funeral.

The Judge's Ruling

The judge's ruling reflected the gravity of Kelly's actions. He acknowledged the significant breach of trust involved and expressed his disappointment with her behavior. While he suspended the prison sentence, he imposed a significant number of requirements on Kelly, including a rehabilitation activity and unpaid work. The judge also ordered Kelly to pay compensation to the donors and the council.

A Lesson In Trust and Honesty

The case of Danielle Kelly serves as a stark reminder of the importance of trust and honesty, particularly in situations involving donations and charity. Kelly's actions have caused emotional and financial distress to her family and the generous individuals who contributed to her mother's funeral. This case is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of using crowdfunding platforms for personal gain. It is crucial for people to be aware of the potential for fraud when donating to these platforms, and to ensure that their money is being used for its intended purpose.