Man accused of £23,000 theft from parents and children at Edinburgh youth football club Hutchison Vale

A man has been accused of forming a fraudulent scheme to steal almost £23,000 from parents and children at a youth football club in Edinburgh.

Paul Fraser, 45, from the city’s Broomhouse area, is charged with pretending to organise and book a football trip to Salou near Barcelona in Spain for Hutchison Vale under-16s group, without permission from the club in 2024.

Fraser is alleged to have gathered the cash from parents and children between June 2023 and April 2024 to subsidise the trip, which included entry fees, travel and accommodation.

The charge alleges that he only paid the entry fee for the team and failed to pass on the money, resulting in the team unable to attend the trip, and moved the money into a different bank account he operated.

It goes on to allege he failed to return the money after the tournament had finished without the team participating and obtained £22,644 by fraud.

The case was continued without plea at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Fraser’s next appearance in court is expected to be June 30.