Wildlife sanctuary owner used £190,000 of donations to buy himself a house
The owner of a wildlife sanctuary has been convicted of fraud after using tens of thousands of pounds of public donations to buy a house.
Chris Tucker, 59, a former animal rights activist who was jailed in 1992 for an attack on a McDonald’s restaurant, was convicted on Friday at Lewes Crown Court of fraudulently using £190,000 of public donations to pay for his own property. He is due to be sentenced next month.
The money was raised for Bexhill and Hastings Wildlife Rescue and Sanctuary between 2017 and January 2019, which Tucker claimed would help to secure his semi-detached house – where it is based – in a trust or community interest company.
He added that the money would be safeguarded officially for good causes and not benefit him or anyone else personally.
However, in November 2019, police received an allegation that Tucker had used the public-generated funds to buy out his ex-partner and take sole ownership of the property.
Tucker, of Chantry Avenue, Bexhill, was arrested and subsequently charged with fraud by false representation.
He denied the offence, but it was proven that he acted dishonestly in order to acquire a valuable property in his sole name.
After the verdict, Detective Constable Jake O’Reilly said: “In November 2019, Sussex Police were contacted following an allegation that Tucker had made promises to sign over his property to a trust which would oversee the future running of Bexhill and Hastings Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue if enough money could be raised by supporters.
“When this amount was achieved, it was alleged that Tucker had then acted dishonestly and taken sole control of a large property where the rescue is based.
“The result of this fraud was that Tucker had acquired a large mortgage-free house and the rescue – which is not a registered charity – was not safeguarded by an independent trust which would make collective decisions on its future.”
‘Long and complex fraud enquiry’
Police Investigator Peters, who pieced together the investigation between 2019 and 2023, added: “This was a long and complex fraud enquiry involving a vast amount of donations and donors who were not given a true account of what would happen to their money. I am pleased justice has been served.”
On Monday 9 October, at Hove Crown Court, Tucker was further convicted of one count of contempt of court in relation to messages posted on social media, which he pleaded guilty to, and his sentencing was adjourned to Friday 10 November 2023.
In 1992, Tucker was jailed for 15 months after he terrorised staff and customers by throwing what appeared to be a bomb across the counter of a crowded McDonald’s restaurant in Kensington, west London.
The court heard that Tucker, who had several previous convictions involving animal rights activities, threw the canister after asking a staff member whether they killed animals in the restaurants.
After he was convicted, Tucker was banned from entering all McDonald’s restaurants in Britain.
Last night, Tucker told the Telegraph that he was ashamed of his past, adding: “I admit what I did at McDonald’s was disgusting and inexcusable. I should never have done it.”
He said he was now making arrangements to sign over half of his house to the wildlife charity.
