Shropshire funeral director accused of stealing £5,300 from charity collections at services
A Shropshire funeral director has been accused of stealing more than £5,000 from service charity collections.
Adrian Satterly, 45, of Cleobury Funeral Directors, faces 20 counts of theft ranging between March 19, 2016, and May 28, 2019.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place at the funerals of 13 people.
The money, which amounts to £5,317.42, belonged to various charities including Severn Hospice, Midlands Air Ambulance, Four Oaks Care Home in Ludlow, Cleobury Medical Centre, District Nurses at Ludlow Hospital, Hereford Hospital, Cleobury Mortimer Scouting Group, Cleobury Stroke Society, St John's Church in Wolverley, Parkinson's UK, Alzheimer's Society, National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, Dementia UK, Royal British Legion and Water Aid Charity.
On Monday, a plea and trial preparation hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court was adjourned for a third time to allow Satterly a longer period to submit financial documents in order to receive legal aid.
He has one month to submit financial documents or risk going unrepresented in court.
Stephen Scully, acting as interim defence solicitor, said: "Since the last adjournment Mr Satterly has emailed his most recent bank statement on June 1.
"He has not responded to any requests for additional information or been in contact since.
"This limited information has been forwarded onto legal aid."
Satterly, who formed his business in Cleobury Mortimer in 2012 before opening a second branch in Highley in 2019, said the documents he required were with the police.
Speaking to Satterly, Judge Peter Barrie said: "I'm willing to adjourn it to pursue a legal aid application, but this is the third time I've done so, so the patience of the court is wearing thin.
"Whatever the difficulties are you need to prioritise sorting this out.
"We can't go on hearing you're unable to get hold of documents – don't count on this happening again."
Satterly, of Cleobury Funeral Directors, Talbot Square, Cleobury Mortimer, will appear back in court in the week commencing July 12.
