A former councillor left a charity struggling for cash after stealing more than £24,000 to fritter on gambling - then argued insurers could foot the bill.

Mike Harrison, 76, helped himself to Newington Community Association’s purse for five years after becoming treasurer, locking his colleagues out of the books.

But after the charity overhauled its financial systems, the ex-Labour district councillor for Thanet confessed to making 77 unlawful transactions.

Harrison pleaded guilty to fraud earlier this year and was set to be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday.

But a judge was left “astonished” after Harrison argued he was too hard-up and insurers would likely pay out.

“It seems to me you’re the one who stole all this money and you’re the one who should be paying it back, not getting someone else to pay it,” judge Rupert Lowe told Harrison.

“He should be falling over himself to pay this back, and I’m astonished he hasn’t considered equity release.”

Harrison drained the funds from 2015 after winning a position of significant trust at the association, which helped provide food for families during the pandemic, shortly after his time as a councillor ended.

His lawyer James Burke said Harrison stole the cash after spiralling into debt due to a gambling addiction, which he has since addressed.

But Judge Lowe ordered Harrison to reveal the value of his £200,000 home in Holbrook Drive, Ramsgate, to garner insight into his assets.

Mr Burke added Harrison’s home was in his wife’s name, for whom he is a carer, and has already shored up a £90,000 equity release bill.

He spoke only to confirm his guilty plea and sentencing was adjourned until June 6, to give Harrison time to raise funds.

Richard Nicholson, the Newington Community Association’s chairman, knew Harrison for 30 years before he was unmasked as a fraudster.

He too is shocked by Harrison’s suggestion insurers can clean up the mess because, in fact, there is no insurance.

“I’m staggered that he said insurance may be able to cover it because there isn’t any insurance," he said.

“He has hurt a lot of people.

"He was trusted, I trusted him, and if he wants to make any amends then he should pay that money back.”

Mr Nicholson explained the team were left “in shock and furious” when the crime came to light, after a new accounting system flagged improper activity.

“We suggested overhauling the financial system but Michael said we shouldn’t - but we went ahead and did it anyway," he said.

“When the new system came online it was obvious what had been going on and he confessed.

“He had been treating this place like a personal account.”

He continued: “It was always a struggle here and the reason we were struggling is because all of this money was being taken.

“We will be popular again.

“Everyone I know was absolutely shocked and didn’t believe he had done this but at the same time furious because they had to believe it.

“It has been affecting people in a lot of different ways, and these are all people who are trying to help the community."

The registered charity took over the run-down centre in Prince Margaret Road in 2007. It has since been undergoing refurbishment to provide an asset to for the community.

Since the outbreak, the Community Food Club, founded by Newington Big Local and based at the centre, has delivered more than 1,760 food bags to more than 120 households.

It is also the home for Newington Big Local Community Cafe & Coffee Morning, Chill Club, a pre-school group, Newington Numbers Community Bingo and others.

Harrison served on Thanet District Council from 1995 to 2015.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report court proceedings, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet