A FORMER Tory councillor has been jailed after spending £35,864 on ‘fine dining and expensive living’ and claiming it back on expenses.

Daniel Smy visited London hotels and shops including the Savoy, Royal Horse-guards and Selfridges and claimed for a chauffeur driven journey from Dorset to the Carlton Club, a court was told.

The former deputy chairman of South Dorset Conservative Association was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Bourne-mouth Crown Court yesterday.

He pleaded guilty to 10 charges of theft and forgery as chairman of the Portman Building Society’s group staff association.

Smy, 35, of Mount Skippet Way, Crossways was a West Dorset District Councillor when the 10 offences took place between 2003 and 2006.

Smy – who asked the court to take 86 further offences into consideration – is also a former chairman of Crossways Parish Council.

Prosecuting, Alison England said he was in a position of trust at the Portman Building Society as he oversaw contributions made on a voluntary basis into the staff association and had also claimed for visiting conferences he invented. She said treasurer Diana Stevenson realised Smy’s expenses were inappropriate and she challenged him about an invoice for a visit to a Dorchester pub.

Miss England added that when previous claims were looked at, cheques with forged signatures were found.

Miss England said Smy spent the money leading a life of fine dining and expensive living by drinking and staying in the hotels.

The court was told Smy admitted using his employer’s funds for his own use and that he got away with it as procedures were ‘lax’ and saw it as a perk of the job as he did not get paid enough – earning a salary of £18,000.

In mitigation Robert Grey said Smy was a man of good character with a history of helping people but had felt ‘a build up of stress and isolation’ and ‘got carried away’.

He said Smy has since suffered anxiety, depression and loneliness and was taking anti-depressants.

Mr Grey said Smy was ‘beside himself with shame’ and had not been able to speak to his former colleagues after working at the Portman Building Society for 13 years until his dismissal.

The Rev Jaqueline Birdseye, from the Moreton Parishes, told Judge John Beashel of Smy’s involvement with community projects including a new skate park and said he deserved another chance.

Judge Beashel said he recognised this and the Rev Birdseye’s support but said “judges sometimes have to harden their hearts.”

He sentenced Smy to 12 months for each of the 10 offences with the sentences to run concurrently.