£20,000 charity cheat sentenced

Darren Jones posed as a charity collector in pubs around Hull

A man convicted of stealing £20,000 from people after falsely posing as a charity collector has been sentenced.

Darren Jones, 35, of Elm Road, Skellow in Doncaster, scammed the money from pub goers in Hull, pretending it was going to Macmillian Cancer Support.

At Hull Crown Court he was given a 12-month suspended jail term, a 200-hour community order and made to pay £1000 compensation to the charity.

Jones was charged with attempting to steal, forgery and theft.

He was also charged with possession of articles used to defraud.

Police said Jones collected the money over an 18-month period.

Macmillan Cancer Support was unavailable for comment.