Jail for man who stole nearly £70k from Western Civic Amenity Site

Court told employee was effectively 'stealing from the public'

A Ramsey man who stole nearly £70,000 from the Western Civic Amenity Site has been jailed.

Michael Raphael Rose, of Fairway Drive, created false invoices and transferred money from the amenity site's account into his own between August 2020 and February 2025.

The 60-year-old had worked at the facility since 2008 and was made site manager, and responsible financial officer, in 2013; he also acted as clerk to the Western Civic Amenity Site Board.

Rose pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, at Douglas Courthouse, on 20 January this year.

During sentencing at the Court of General Gaol Delivery today (6 May) Deemster Graeme Cook told Rose he was 'an extremely important cog in the operation' who'd committed an 'extremely serious case of fraud'.

'Sophisticated invoices'

The court heard how Rose created 'sophisticated' invoices which saw money paid monthly to fictional company 'N. Lewis'.

The address belonged to another recycling firm on the Island and invoices referred to work such as 'recycling and transportation'.

Rose would take the invoices to the bank, withdraw the amount in cash using a debit card in a chip-and-pin reader, before depositing the cash into his own account.

In total he withdrew £68,430 from the WCAS's funds.

Of that amount £62,272.25 was paid into Rose's personal account, with the missing £6,000 presumed to have been kept in cash. 

His deception was uncovered in March 2025 when he was signed off work on long-term sick leave.

The following month the board's bookkeeper questioned why there was no invoice from the N. Lewis firm as she was under the impression it was a long-term contract.

An internal investigation ensued and the matter was reported to police and Rose was arrested.

Victim impact statement

A victim impact statement penned by Chairman of the WCAS Board - and Marown commissioner - Alison Lynch was read to the court by the prosecutor.

It stated the WCAS was 'directly harmed' by the defendant's actions which caused 'immediate and tangible harm' to the residents of five local authorities as the site is funded by the authorities of: German, Marown, Michael, Patrick and Peel.

Mrs Lynch said Rose's actions meant above inflation increases had to be applied to ratepayers to make up the shortfall in losses faced by the board over the years of his offending.

She said the 'emotional and communal impact had been profound' and as Rose had effectively been 'stealing from the public' residents were left feeling 'personally violated'.

Reference was also made to the employment costs of around £31,000 received by Rose until he was dismissed from his post.

The court also heard a statement from the site's bookkeeper who said the events had left her with 'ongoing anxiety and worry' as well as a 'significant increase in [her] workload' whilst she assisted police with their inquiries.

She said her professional 'integrity and competence' had been called into question and cited comments made on social media about her work.

She added the ordeal had come at a 'significant personal and professional cost'.

Sentence

Sending Rose to prison for two years and four months, Deemster Graeme Cook said his actions 'punished an entire community who had no part in the offence'.

He'll serve half of that sentence in Jurby before being released on licence.

'Significant changes'

In February this year, the Western Civic Amenity Site Board issued a statement concerning the criminal charges against Rose.

It said: "The Western Civic Amenity Site Board were made aware of financial irregularities uncovered by their staff in March 2025. 

"The board immediately reported this matter to the police, and we have been assisting the constabulary with their investigation. 

"The management of the Western Civic Amenity Site has gone through significant changes since March 2025.

"These changes were imposed by the new Board to strengthen financial management procedures and increased control over both routine operations and financial activities through the segregation of responsibilities for their oversight by experienced individual members of staff.  

"These changes built upon the work done by the previous Board, which served between August 2021 and April 2025, who brought in a bookkeeper to provide improved financial reporting to the Board during their term of office."