A CHARITY that lost more than £660,000 after its chief executive embezzled the money has been told that it will get most of the cash back.

Dennis Grant was sent to prison for four years and four months in July after admitting to defrauding Cotswold Water Park Society of £660,791.25.

Though the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is yet to establish how much it will be possible to reclaim from Grant, hopes are high that the Water Park Trust will be able to reclaim a significant amount.

Cotswold Water Park Trust operational director Tasha Flaherty, who exposed Grant’s fraud after discovering discrepancies in the society’s accounts, said they hope to recover a minimum of £150,000.

“Hopefully it will be higher than that but other things like the value of his assets have an effect on it,” she said.

“We want to be realistic so we’ve put an achievable figure down – until I actually see that bank statement I think looking at more than that could be false hope.

“Any money we can recover will be gratefully received whether we receive it now or in the future.”

Dennis Grant was due to appear at Gloucester Crown Court for a ‘confiscation’ hearing earlier this month to assess how much money the courts can reclaim from him, but has been postponed until an unconfirmed date.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Victoria Cook said they hoped to reclaim as much of the defrauded money as possible.

“In addition to prosecuting them for their crimes, the CPS is determined to hit criminals where it hurts them the most – in their wallets,” she said.

“The total value of the confiscation order Dennis Grant will have to pay is still subject to due legal process but the CPS is pursuing this matter vigorously.

“It is important for us to clearly demonstrate that crime does not pay.”

An independent investigation into the activities of the Water Park Society has been launched following Dennis Grant’s conviction and is currently in the early stages.