by Anna Roberts and Annette Wilson

Showing off in a flash car Gary Franklin looks like he has
everything going for him.

But now the former businessman and Kent County Council manager
has been convicted of cheating Children in Need out of £6,000.

Franklin and his wife Heather were found guilty of fraud
following a trial.

The court heard the couple, both 51, raised more than £8,000 for
the BBC charity following a car rally organised through their now
defunct-company Group 20 in November 2007.

But Children in Need received just £2,000.

The couple gave their address in court as Ashford Road,
Harrietsham.

But when a Kent Messenger reporter called at the detached house with swimming pool, the new owner said they had moved away last autumn.

The prosecution at Canterbury Crown Court suggested the couple

spent the excess cash holding up their company which hired out

sporty cars, such as Ferraris. But it collapsed.

In court, Heather Franklin claimed cheques were sent but never
reconciled.

Her husband said he was unaware money had not reached the
charity until it was mentioned by a franchisee during a phone
conversation after Group 20 closed down.

The court heard he eventually wrote to Children in Need
apologising and offering an explanation and in May 2009 his wife
sent the missing amount to the charity.

“I have never acted dishonestly in relation to that money,” he
told the jury.

A spokesman for Kent County Council, speaking after the Franklins’ conviction, said: “Gary Franklin is currently employed by Kent County Council as the Traveller Engagement and Operations Manager in the Gypsy and Traveller Unit of the Kent Adult Social Services Directorate.

"He is not the Head of Service and does not have direct
accountability for the unit’s budget.

“KCC is aware he was declared bankrupt at the beginning of March
in relation to a matter not associated with his employment with
Kent County Council.

“Any impact of his conviction on his employment is a matter
between Gary Franklin and Kent County Council and will be dealt
with confidentially.”

An ex-franchisee who lost £25,000 when the Rochester-based Group
20 collapsed described Gary Franklin as “smooth”.

“He was slick and could talk,” he said. “He upset a lot of
people.”

In an earlier article in a KM group publication Gary Franklin,
who boasted his cars were like “automotive porn”, said the company
was financed by a variety of sources.

Both Franklins are on bail to be sentenced at a later
date.