A COPPLESTONE man has admitted stealing £300,000 intended for the Armed Forces veterans' charity "Help for Heroes". Christopher Copeland (51), who formerly ran Copelander, which specialised in four-wheel drive offroad vehicles and which he set up at Morchard Road in the summer of 2010, gathered teams of fundraisers to collect donations from the public across England and Wales. Early this week he admitted one charge of fraud and another of concealing criminally obtained property. Judge Phillip Wassall at Exeter Crown Court said Copeland faced a lengthy prison sentence. Copeland was remanded on bail for sentencing on September 15. He said after the case: "It was unintentional but it happened. There you go. "I tried to do something that was really good and I messed it up. I am feeling very humble. I'm very sorry." Asked if he would be paying back the money, he said: "I would really love to make amends. "I am really sorry and I will do everything I can." Copeland took his team of helpers in a van to large Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury's stores and collected money in buckets from customers. He told his helpers he was passing on the money to "Help for Heroes" but instead put it straight into his own bank account. He was caught when one of the volunteers became suspicious and tipped off Devon and Cornwall Police. The force discovered almost nothing had been paid to the charity. Judge Wassall said: "It is difficult to imagine a fraud with greater aggravating features." Copeland is now likely to face proceedings under the "Proceeds of Crime Act" to seize his assets and deprive him of any benefi t from his fraud. By Alan Quick

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