11 December 2012 Last updated at 10:13 ET

Headway charity treasurer Malcolm Hulse's suspended jail term

A former treasurer of a charity helping people affected by brain injuries has escaped jail for swindling it out of £10,000.

Malcolm Hulse, from Gwalchmai, Anglesey, wrote "blank cheques" to himself leaving his local branch of Headway with less than £20.

He was found guilty of fraud at Caernarfon Crown Court but cleared of stealing £414 of charity shop takings.

His 12-month jail sentence was suspended for 18 months.

Hulse must also carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

The offences took place when Hulse was the treasurer of the Anglesey branch of Headway between 2007 and 2010, his trial was told last month.

Irregularities were found by the national finance director of Headway.

"This was behaviour of which any right-minded person would be appalled," said Judge Niclas Parry at Caernarfon Crown Court on Tuesday.

He said Hulse, who is a full-time carer for his wife because of her own brain injury, would have known better than anyone the consequences of such an injury and what the money should have been used for.

"You wiped out everything that that charity had," said Judge Parry, referring to the Anglesey branch of Headway. "You left it with less than £20."

He said Hulse had aggravated his offending by denying the charges, forcing people to give evidence against him, some of whom had brain injuries.

"Decent people were criticised by you as part of your defence," said the judge.

In suspending the sentence, Judge Parry said he took into account that Hulse had repaid all the money and that he was his wife's full-time carer.

Paulinus Barnes, defending, said Hulse had for many years been a full-time carer and was of previous good character.