Overview

• Judge Natalie Cuddy imposed a 24-month custodial sentence suspended for two years along with requirements to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.
• Michael Grisedale pleaded guilty to 11 theft charges after admitting he stole £6,401.39 raised by parents for the Vauxhall Astras’ Barcelona Experience and lost it in online casinos.
• When the trip booking fell through three days before departure, well-wishers stepped in and raised replacement funds through a GoFundMe appeal, allowing the under-10s to travel to Salou.
• The betrayal of trust and financial fallout led the Vauxhall Astras squad to fold just weeks into the following season as sponsors and families withdrew support.
• Defence counsel highlighted Grisedale’s unemployment and significant gambling problem as factors in his decision to misappropriate the money.