The boss of a dog’s home who swindled the charity out of nearly £1m donations before blowing the cash on a lavish lifestyle has been jailed for five years.

Simon Price, 53, the ex-chief executive of Birmingham Dogs Home, and his 39-year-old wife Alayna Warner pocketed cash left by animal lovers in their wills.

Suspicions were raised after Price forked out £75,000 on his nuptials to Warner, the charity’s commercial manager and head of fundraising.

The money was collected at the dog centre (SWNS) (ERIK DE CASTRO)

A court heard Price splashed the money funding the luxury wedding and on a gambling addiction, while his wife paid off her credit cards and bought a house.

During their four-year crime spree, the scheming fraudsters even stole the proceeds of a £400,000 bungalow that had been bequeathed to the charity.

Birmingham Crown Court was told another well-wisher left £60,000 to the charity in their will, which the couple also plundered.

Price, of Solihull, West Midlands, was arrested by officers at Birmingham International Airport as he returned from Barcelona on 10 November last year.

He admitted 10 counts of fraud by abuse of position, totalling around £640,000 between February 2012 and October 2016.

Simon’s wife, Alayna Warner, has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence (SWNS) (SWNS.com)

Warner, of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, who has now split from her husband, admitted five counts of fraud by abuse of position, totalling around £254,000.

Yesterday Price was sentenced to five years while his tearful pregnant wife avoided jail after being handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Sentencing, Judge QC Patrick Thomas, told Price: “This company depends on public donations.

“You were trusted, you had power of the bank accounts, although you were in the midst of a gambling addiction I cannot accept it as a real mitigation.

“The extensive harm you have done after stealing means you must have weakened the public trust in the charity.

“That is likely to have a significant effect on the charity’s income.

“You went to Spain but not for a very long time, you came back to face the music, but you had tried to throw away the hard drive to your computer and that failed, as it had a backup system with all the information.”

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 September 2020 A model presents a creation during the Bora Aksu catwalk show at London Fashion Week 2020 Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2020 World kickboxing champion Carl Thomas during his attempt to run a marathon while pulling a plane at Elvington Airfield near York. The attempt is raising funds for Ollie's Army Battling Against Battens, an organisation campaigning to raise GBP 250,000 to fund a clinical trial aimed at saving the sight of children with CNL2 Batten Disease PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2020 Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner speaking during Prime Minister's Questions UK Parliament/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 September 2020 People enjoying the autumn sunshine as they punt along the River Cam in Cambridge PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2020 Early morning light bathes the skyscrapers of the City of London, at the start of a week in which the UK is expected to bask in temperatures of more than 30 degrees PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2020 England celebrate after they dismissed Australia's Alex Carey to win the second ODI match of the series at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2020 Protesters outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London, as marches and rallies form across the country calling for a 15% pay rise for NHS workers and an increase in NHS funding PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2020 An empty migrant dinghy floats off the beach at St Margaret's Bay after the occupants landed from France in Dover Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2020 A view of small boats thought to be used in migrant crossings across the Channel at a storage facility in Dover, Kent PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2020 EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, left, arriving from the Eurostar with EU Ambassador to the UK, Portuguese diplomat Joao Vale de Almeida at St Pancras International railway station, London, for the latest round of the negotiations on a free trade deal between the EU and the UK PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2020 Dawn over Coquet Island, a small island off Amble on the Northumberland coast PA UK news in pictures 7 September 2020 A hovercraft arrives to Southsea, Hampshire from the Isle of Wight PA UK news in pictures 6 September 2020 Forensics officers near the scene of multiple reported stabbings in Birmingham Reuters UK news in pictures 5 September 2020 Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate in Dover against immigration and the journeys made by refugees crossing the Channel to Kent PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2020 Activists take part in a demonstration against the HS2 hi-speed rail line outside the Department of Transport AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 3 September 2020 Peter Baker, who plays Trigger in the musical version of Only Fools and Horses, sweeps the stage of the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London, after observing a 15 minute silence to show solidarity with those in the theatre industry that have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2020 Kadie Lane, right, 11, and Brooke Howourth, 11, hug on their walk to Marden Bridge Middle School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, for their first day of term, as schools in England reopen to pupils following the coronavirus lockdown PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2020 Extinction Rebellion protesters sitting outside The Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London PA UK news in pictures 31 August Surfers at Long Sands Beach, Tynemouth PA UK news in pictures 30 August Black Lives Matter protesters march through Notting Hill in London in the first Million People March EPA UK news in pictures 29 August A protester reacts as she demonstrates against the lockdown and use of face masks, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, outside Downing Street in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 August Caribbean soca dancers display their costumes as they promote the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival, following the cancellation of the normal Carnival festivities due to the continued spread of the coronavirus disease, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 August Father and son team Chris and Sam Milford from historic building conservation specialists WallWalkers begin restoration work on the spire of Norwich Cathedral, which stands at over 312ft high. The first known spire was completed in 1297 PA UK news in pictures 26 August Giant waves at Seaham in County Durham, as the bad weather continues PA UK news in pictures 25 August An assistant at the Wallace Monument cleans the case which houses the William Wallace sword in the Hall of Arms room at the monument near Stirling as they prepare to re-open PA UK news in pictures 24 August Restored World War Two landing craft LCT 7074 is transported from from the Naval Base in Portsmouth to its final resting place at the D-Day Story at Southsea PA UK news in pictures 23 August Jenny Nguyen and Tony Cao, from Vietnam, pose for wedding photos on Tower Bridge in London, as it remains closed to vehicles after it was stuck open on Saturday due to a "mechanical fault". The landmark's Twitter account confirmed only pedestrians and cyclists could use it on Sunday morning PA UK news in pictures 22 August England's Zak Crawley hit 267, joining the exclusive Double Hundred club, on day two of the Third Test match against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton PA UK news in pictures 21 August Harri Teale gathers lavender during the annual harvest on the Wolds Way Lavender farm near Malton in North Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 20 August Parents and a student react after checking GCSE results at Ark Academy in London Reuters UK news in pictures 19 August Tate Modern workers hold a strike outside the gallery in London, to protest the institution's announcement that it would cut more than 300 jobs from its commercial arm, Tate Enterprises PA UK news in pictures 18 August Two rescued brown bear cubs, Mish (left) and Lucy, cool off in a pool after arriving at their new home with the wildlife conservation charity Wildwood Trust in Herne Bay, Kent. The orphaned pair, who have been living in a temporary home in Belgium since they were found abandoned and alone in a snowdrift in the Albanian mountains, will be acclimatised to their new life in the country before moving to a permanent home PA UK news in pictures 17 August A level students celebrate outside the Department for Education in London after it was confirmed that candidates in England will be given grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by an algorithm. The government U-turn comes just days after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson vowed there would be "no U-turn, no change. PA UK news in pictures 16 August Wasp players take a knee as Northampton Saints stand prior to kick-off in their Premiership match at Franklin's Gardens PA UK news in pictures 15 August Piper Colour Sergeant Lil Bahadur Gurung attends the VJ Day National Remembrance event, held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 14 August People including students hold placards on Whitehall outside Downing Street as they protest against the downgrading of A-level results. The government faced criticism after education officials downgraded more than a third of pupils' final grades in a system devised after the coronavirus pandemic led to cancelled exams yes AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 13 August Benita Stipp (centre) and Mimi Ferguson (left) react as students at Norwich School receive their A-Level results PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2020 A train derailment near Stonehaven has left three people dead. Driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie, and a passenger were killed when the 6.38am Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street service crashed amid heavy rain and flooding BBC UK news in pictures 11 August 2020 A woman hydrates in the sun after open water swimming at the West Reservoir Centre in north London Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 10 August 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes part in an archery session as he visits Premier Education Summer Camp at Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' in Upminster Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2020 People cycle through Cambridge as the heatwave continues in Britain EPA UK news in pictures 8 August 2020 Healthcare workers take part in a protest in London over pay conditions in the NHS Getty UK news in pictures 7 August 2020 Emergency services make their way along the seafront on Bournemouth beach in Dorset on one of the hottest days of the year PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2020 Alison Murphy poses for a picture by husband Peter as she walks through a field of sunflowers in Altrincham, Cheshire PA UK news in pictures 5 August 2020 Pakistan's Abid Ali being bowled by England's Jofra Archer during day one of the First Test match at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester PA UK news in pictures 4 August 2020 The 'Timbuktu tumblers' from Kenya perform their balancing act on the Southsea waterfront as Zippos Circus reopens in Portsmouth Rex UK news in pictures 3 August 2020 Pelicans interact with a visitor in St James's Park in London PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2020 Lewis Hamilton drives with a puncture towards the finish line to win the Formula One British Grand Prix at Silverstone POOL/AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 1 August 2020 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the FA Cup, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Pool via Reuters UK news in pictures 31 July 2020 People enjoy the sunny weather at a Bournemouth Beach Reuters

Turning to Warner, the judge added: “You were in a position of trust and you abused that position just as did Mr Price.

“You were encouraged by Mr Price to do it, he was an obvious dominant figure in your relationship but you did act on your own purpose.

“With his instructions, you used the money to clear credit cards and on other things.

“This had all come to light when Mr Price made a last-ditch attempt cover it all up. That promoted you to make an admission to a trustee at the charity.

“The real mitigation in your case is that you show real remorse.

“You have a child with a significant disability and are pregnant with another child and no court could ignore that.”

Prosecutor Madhu Rai said Price had claimed to have blown over half a million pounds on online gambling.

He added: “The money that was stolen by Mr Price was then spent on the online gambling site Betfair.”

He stated in an interview with the police that he had lost £570,000.

“There was significant planning and the activity was over a sustained period of time.

“Staff say they feel let down by Alayna’s actions.

“She used the money to pay off credit cards, her wedding and some went on a house, although she has given some of the money back to the charity.”

Birmingham Dogs Home, founded in 1892, had £2.7m in donations and legacies in 2015 – including one gift of £1m alone.

The charity helped rehouse 3,356 dogs in 2015 and Price was previously hailed “the real hero” for overseeing a move to a new £5.5m site in Solihull.

The charity has several patrons, including the mayors of Birmingham and Solihull, Lord Aylesford and the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Dave Thompson.

Patrick Maggs, defending Price, said: “He is deeply ashamed, he headed for the hills but came back to face the music.

“He blames no one else but himself. His explanation is the gambling addiction however he accepts high culpability.”

Harpreet Sandhu, defending Warner, said: “Her offences are characterised as opportunistic at most, she has no previous convictions.

“She is the sole carer of a three-year-old daughter, a daughter who has a significant slight problem with her sight, and is also heavily pregnant.”

After the case, Detective Constable Arron Cox, of West Midlands Police, said the pair’s home plus another property they owned had been seized by the force.

He added: “We have control of those properties and will be looking to seize them under the Proceeds of Crime Act and sell them, with the profit being handed back to the dogs home.

“We will also be looking to take whatever other assets or cash the couple has that we can show was accrued through this fraud and again refunding the charity.

“This fraud was motivated by pure greed. Between them they took home handsome salaries but still felt the need to steal from the charity.

“And of course they were taking money that had been donated by generous people in the West Midlands and beyond. Minus money that was earmarked for animal care but instead was splashed on gambling and a lavish lifestyle.”