Man admits church fraud

A churchgoer pleaded guilty to fraud today after gambling away money that fellow parishioners thought they had donated for his "medical" treatment.

Gerard Francis Marychurch, 39, was remanded on bail to reappear in Auckland District Court in February for sentencing.

He admitted 14 charges of obtaining money by deception. Eight of the charges related to sums of over $1000.

Marychurch is alleged to have used the pretext that he needed cancer treatment and parishioners at a number of churches collected money on his behalf.

Last month, a letter of apology bearing his name was handed out at St Francis and St Therese church in Pt Chevalier.

In the letter, he said he had been unwell and some of the money had been used for medical bills, but most had gone towards his gambling addiction.

- NZPA