Conservative election agent who blew £9,000 on alcohol after it was raised for bereaved son of popular former councillor is spared jail

• Alexander Shayler, 33, took £9k from GoFundMe for son of late Tory councillor

A former Tory Party election agent who pocketed the £9,000 raised for the bereaved son of a former councillor has been spared prison.

Alexander Shayler, 33 of Greenway, Maidstone, helped set up a GoFundMe page for Anton Roche, the son of Leila Roy, a popular former Conservative councillor for Camden, who died aged 39 from a heart condition in February 2021.

The campaign raised £17,000 and the balance was to be paid to Anton on his 18th birthday.

After Ms Roy’s funeral had been paid for and other outstanding costs cleared the total amount was £9,252.

It was Shayler’s responsibility to safeguard the money until Anton turned 18 in February this year.

Former Tory Party election agent Alexander Shayler, 33, who pocketed the £9,000 raised for the bereaved son of a former councillor has been spared jail

Shayler helped set up a GoFundMe page for Anton Roche, the son of Leila Roy (pictured), a popular former Conservative councillor for Camden, who died aged 39 from a heart condition in February 2021

But there was only £100 left in the account after Shayler spent the cash on his own living expenses, Wood Green Crown Court heard.

Shayler confessed immediately to his former employer as well as the other trustees and by May he had paid the full amount back to Anton.

He has been involved in three general election campaigns but now works in a supermarket, the court heard.

Elega Simpson, prosecuting, said: ‘In February 2021, A woman named Leila Roy died suddenly and unexpectedly and left behind her 16 year old son Anton.

‘Kelly Whittaker and Amit Shah decided to set up a GoFundMe page to pay for funeral costs, university tuition and general living expenses for Anton.

‘They raised £17,000, which would be given to Anton when he turned 18 this year.

‘The defendant, who had previously worked with Leila Roy agreed to look after the money, of which he had sole access.

‘Over time, funds were drawn for various living expenses for Anton.

‘When Anton turned 18 in February this year, the defendant informed Miss Whittaker that he had spent the remaining money.

‘He agreed to pay it back by June this year.

‘Anton himself says he felt overwhelmed and scared by this defendant as well as feeling betrayed by him.

‘Anton was particularly vulnerable due to his age, his financial circumstances and most importantly his recent bereavement.’

Alex Jamieson, defending Shayler, said: ‘To Anton Roche, to Leila Roy and to Amit Shah, while there is significant mitigation in this case, what happened here was simply wrong.

‘He has written to Anton, it is a genuine apology.

‘He was the person that confessed.

‘He has repaid the money and he has taken treatment and counselling.

‘More and more of his expenses were eating into these funds and mainly that was alcohol.

‘On 5 February this year, he was extremely drunk and put a knife to his throat.

‘It was not an attempt at suicide, it was a superficial wound.

‘But the next day, he told his employer and he told the trustees.

‘The funds were repaid by May and the manner in which they were repaid came in 2 ways – garnishing a substantial amount of his wages – £1,000 a month, and also from loans, from his employer and from a dear friend.

‘There are a great number of mitigating features.

‘Firstly, his guilty plea.

‘Secondly, his cooperation, he told his employer, he told the trustees and then he paid the money back, criminal proceedings did not begin until July of that year.

‘His previous good character – in terms of a lack of previous convictions and overcoming substantial difficulties.

‘At the time of this, he was suffering from mental health issues as well as substance abuse.

‘Mr Shayler has lost his employment and his career as a result of this offence.

‘He does now have employment with a supermarket.

‘He regards today as an important day.

‘He has lost a career that was of real importance to him.

‘He has showed determination to address the addiction.

‘He cannot change what he did, he has not sought to excuse it, but since he confessed it, he has done everything he could to address it.’

Shayler, of Greenway, Maidstone, admitted one count of fraud. He was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court (pictured) to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and must perform 250 hours of community service

Sentencing, Judge Alexander Jacobs said: ‘I am to sentence you for one offence of committing fraud.

‘It was your position to safeguard Anton Roche.

‘You indicated a guilty plea at the magistrates’ court at the very first opportunity.

‘Your victim to this fraud was a 16-year-old boy who had lost his mother unexpectedly.

‘Friends, you included, joined together to raise funds for Anton Roche’s future.

‘You were a friend of Anton’s late mother.

‘£17,000 in total was raised by well-wishers and those meaning only good for Anton.

‘On his 18th birthday, there was only £100 left.

‘Some of the funds were used legitimately for funeral costs as well as for Anton.

‘You told the other trustees of the fund, what had happened and you agreed to pay the money back.

‘Not withstanding that, those other trustees felt it was a criminal matter.

‘You fully admitted to it when the police were involved.

‘I am told that all of the money that you stole has now been paid as of May of this year, that is before the police even interviewed you.

‘You repaid it before the police were even involved, which shows to me genuine remorse and a desire to write the wrong.

‘Anton feels overwhelmed, scared and betrayed by what you have done.

‘Kelly Whittaker, who was one of the other trustees, while not herself a victim, she felt responsible.

‘Amit Shah, another involved in the crowd funding, said ‘I feel ashamed’ – why should he feel ashamed, he has no reason to at all.

‘Those two individuals of course should feel nothing of the sort.

‘This was you and you alone and you accept that.’

The judge referred to Shayler’s own bereavement, losing his job, and addressing his alcohol problems.

‘I have listened to and read a great deal of mitigation on your behalf.

‘You have a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and general anxiety disorder.

‘I have read the letter from your counsellor and from Change Grow Live (CGL), I have read those character references, those have to be read in the context that what you did was behind everyone’s back.

‘On your behalf, your barrister concedes that it crosses the custody threshold.

‘The important point to note to me is the work that you have done with a councillor, CGL and so on, all took place before police were involved.

‘You have done all of that in any event, not expecting or knowing that it would be a matter that would trouble the court.

‘There are no aggravating factors, there are though mitigating factors that the court must take into account.

‘You were a man of previous good character, you have now lost that, your character, your cooperation with the investigation and early admission and steps to address your issues.

‘I have taken all of that into account.’

Shayler admitted one count of fraud. He was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and must perform 250 hours of community service.

Shayler was also ordered to pay Anton £1,000 in compensation by April 2024.

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