A TAVISTOCK man is facing two years in prison for stealing almost £18,000 from the town?s Royal British Legion Club where he was a steward. Simon Mark Venning, 37, from Brook Street, was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on Monday for one count of theft from the club in King Street. He had denied the charge but was found guilty during a trial at the crown court in February this year. It was alleged that Mr Venning had been stealing from the Tavistock club for about four months last year. Recorder James Patrick told the court Mr Venning had been employed as a steward at the Royal British Legion Club in Tavistock last year. His jobs included, he said, dealing with cash and cheques which came into the club. Recorder Patrick said Mr Venning had used his position and ?abused the trust? bestowed on him by the club by stealing more than £17,500 over a period of four months. He said a bank had contacted the treasurer at the club and exposed the crime ? and then, it had been alleged, Mr Venning had asked the treasurer to cover up for him. Recorder Patrick told Mr Venning: ?You used that position to cover your tracks. Where the money went you have not chosen to say. This offence is so serious that only custody can be justified.? Mr Venning was sentenced to two years behind bars ? but he was told he will serve only half that sentence before being released on licence. No compensation order was made by the court. Following the trial, RBL county secretary Richard Jennings said the money stolen would not affect the Royal British Legion charity. He said: ?It was not charitable money which was stolen ? it would have been part of the private members? club. ?There is a difference between the club and the Royal British Legion charity. ?It was a pretty unusual thing to happen in a Royal British Legion club though.? Mr Jennings said that, despite it being club money and not charity cash, incidents like this ?tar? the Royal British Legion.
