Ex-miners' leader Neil Greatrex found guilty of theft

A former president of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers was found guilty today of stealing thousands of pounds from a miners' care home charity.

Neil Greatrex was accused of stealing money from Phoenix Nursing and Residential Home Ltd, a subsidiary company of the UDM charity Nottinghamshire Miners Home.

He was found guilty of 14 theft charges relating to money stolen to settle invoices from two building companies and a joiner amounting to a total of £148,628.83.

UDM general secretary Mick Stevens, who was accused of the same charges, was cleared by the jury at Nottingham Crown Court.

The men were trustees of the charity and the subsidiary company. They were able to sign cheques on its behalf, the court has heard.

It was alleged they billed the charity-run home for improvement work which was actually being done on their own properties, including an £11,750 kitchen and other building and landscaping work.

PA