Animal rights charity left £3.5million by industrialist 'blew cash on flying Bill Oddie abroad, backdated pay rises and a failed court case' 

  • League Against Cruel Sports given money by Stan Hales, who died in 2013
  • Staff received around 10% pay rises and £25,000 prosecution was launched
  • Three delegations also sent to Malta to campaign against bird shooting
  • One critic labelled Charity Commission 'toothless' over the controversy
  • The League say accusations of mis-spending legacy money are 'malicious nonsense'

An animal rights charity which was left £3.5million by an industrialist has allegedly spent thousands on flying Bill Oddie to Malta, backdated pay rises and a failed court case.

The League Against Cruel Sports, which wants to end animal cruelty, was left the money by Stan Hales, who died in 2013. At the time, the charity was thought to be struggling financially.

Around 40 staff allegedly later received minimum 10 per cent pay rises and spent £25,000 on a failed private prosecution, which was brought against members of the Lamerton Hunt in Devon after police dropped their investigation.

Scroll down for video 

An animal rights charity which was left £3.5million by an industrialist has allegedly spent thousands on flying Bill Oddie (pictured) to Malta, backdated pay rises and a failed court case
The charity's former chief executive Joe Duckworth is pictured

An animal rights charity which was left £3.5million by an industrialist has allegedly spent thousands on flying Bill Oddie (left) to Malta, backdated pay rises and a failed court case. The charity's former chief executive Joe Duckworth is pictured (right)

Financial records seen by The Times also showed The League sent staff to campaign against shooting migratory birds in Malta at least three times. Vice president Mr Oddie joined them on at least one occasion.

The release of the records led critics to slam the charity, with one arguing the trips abroad proved the charity regulator was 'inadequate'.

Simon Hart, chairman of the Countryside Alliance, added: 'The Charity Commission appears toothless when it comes to insisting on transparency and openness when regulating controversial charities.'

The money from Mr Hales' will came at a time when The League was turning over around £2million a year.

An email sent by the charity's chief executive Joe Duckworth suggested even as the charity was waiting for the £3.5m to come through it was struggling financially, as he asked: 'F*** have we got enough money to pay the wages next month?'

Staff received the pay rises, which were allegedly backdated by five months, in May 2014. It is not known how much this cost the charity, but it is thought it would not have been possible without Mr Hales' money.

Around 40 staff allegedly later received minimum 10 per cent pay rises and spent £25,000  on a failed private prosecution, which was brought against members of the Lamerton Hunt (pictured) in Devon after police dropped their investigation

Around 40 staff allegedly later received minimum 10 per cent pay rises and spent £25,000 on a failed private prosecution, which was brought against members of the Lamerton Hunt (pictured) in Devon after police dropped their investigation

The trips abroad also came after the industrialist's donation. The flights for one trip to Malta allegedly cost £700 with additional money spent on cars once staff arrived on the island, according to The Times' source. 

It is not known whether Mr Oddie was on that trip and the charity added that a ringfenced fund, separate to Mr Hales' money, raised £30,000 for the Maltese campaign.

THE MAN WHO LEFT THE LEAGUE £3.5M WAS A CHARITABLE ENTREPRENEUR WHO LOVED CHESS AND ANIMALS  

Stan Hales, who died in 2013 aged 92, was known throughout his life for his charity. 

He was born in the Midlands and started a small manufacturing company at a young age.

After marrying his wife, Hilda, he learnt how to fly a small aircraft and the pair travelled to South Africa, arriving in 1947. While there, he set up a small factory, which made parts for tractors. 

Despite returning to England in the 60s, his memories of South Africa never faded. In 2006, The Cape Times reported Mr Hales had called them in a bid to get hold of four people who used to work for him. The retiree wanted to pay them each £1,000 to say thank you. 

He was also a strong supporter of animal equality and was against hunting. He instead allowed his assistants to feed bread to foxes on his estate in Clent, Worcestershire, as well as feeding lettuce to the wild rabbits. 

He visited women campaigning against the Greenham Common airbase in his Rolls-Royce and handed out £20 notes - and had a sign in the back of the luxury car saying 'Don't pay your poll tax'.

The qualified pilot, who loved chess, also volunteered to take organs to patients in his aircraft when needed.   

Mr Hales, who had no heirs, is believed to have given around £6,000 a month to charity before leaving £3.5million in his will to the League Against Cruel Sports.  

Two members of staff, including Mr Duckworth, were also sent to Massachusetts in late 2013 to discuss greyhound racing. It is not known how much this trip cost. 

Supporters of the charity said it was common for British charities to meet with international experts and to occasionally travel. 

Mr Oddie also defended the charity trips to Malta, telling The Times: 'The implication that this was some sort of 'jolly' that [league] members would resent helping to finance is frankly insulting.'

Meanwhile, the £25,000 case against Lamerton Hunt collapsed after it emerged a key witness, Professor Stephen Harris, was connected to the charity. 

Mr Harris later denied that The League had asked him to say anything but, despite this, the charity's lawyers are still thought to have known they were relying too heavily on one witness. 

The League was also later accused of not respecting the criminal process, after they refused to accept the not guilty verdict against the six men. 

The latest investigation is not the first time the charity has been hit by scandal.

Mr Oddie was involved in a 'jealous' row over an 'irresistible' badger enthusiast with Mr Duckworth last year.

The 74-year-old is said to have written the former chief executive an email stating he felt 'deceived or betrayed' the day after Mr Duckworth left his post. Mr Oddie added: 'At the moment I feel as if I have lost two friends that I really liked and valued.' 

He later confirmed to The Sunday Times that he was referring to Lynn Hazel, a 40-year-old British wildlife sculptor.  There was no suggestion any of the parties were romantically involved.  

The latest investigation is not the first time the charity has been hit by scandal. Mr Oddie was involved in a 'jealous' row over an 'irresistible' badger enthusiast Lynn Hazel (pictured) with Mr Duckworth last year

The latest investigation is not the first time the charity has been hit by scandal. Mr Oddie was involved in a 'jealous' row over an 'irresistible' badger enthusiast Lynn Hazel (pictured) with Mr Duckworth last year

When contacted by MailOnline, The League said accusations of mis-spending legacy money were 'malicious nonsense'.

They also added that Mr Hales' 'very welcome' £3.5m had been received in installments, with the last of the money arriving in January.

A spokesman said: 'The story is a shameful, politically motivated and unfounded attack referring to a legacy bequest of £3.5million which we are alleged to have wasted, but the truth is we haven’t spent any of it.

'Charities are being targeted in certain parts of the media at the moment, potentially as an attempted repeal of the Hunting Act is on the cards, so our supporters and anyone who looks closely at this will understand what this story is really about – trying to discredit opponents of hunting.' 

The League referred to their work on the evil of snares and the treatment of game birds in shooting, as well as their 'justifiable' trips to Malta and the US, as examples of how they use their money 'efficiently and effectively'. 

They added: 'All of our successes have been achieved in the face of opposition from those who do not like the fact that we are trying to stop people from killing animals for "sport".'