The former treasurer of an archaeological charity has been spared jail after admitting stealing more than £110,000 from the organisation. 

Pamela Bent appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court last week and was handed a two-year suspended sentence for one count of fraud by abuse of position and three counts of false accounting against the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project. 

At an earlier hearing, Bent, 65, of Kings Lynn, Norfolk, admitted stealing about £113,000 from the charity between June 2020 and January 2022. 

She has paid back almost half of the money, with £61,000 remaining, and was ordered to repay the outstanding amount over the next year.

“We have not yet had time to digest the results from the sentencing but our initial feelings are of relief and gratitude that the money will be returned to the charity,” the charity said.

“Sharp trustees and committee are all deeply shocked and saddened that someone within the charity would abuse a position of trust.

“We are working on an incident report for the membership which will provide more details about the case, our investigation, and will highlight the ways we as a charity have improved our systems to ensure this does not happen again.”

Sharp, which carries out excavation projects in north-west Norfolk, said its newly elected committee began suspecting there were “serious financial irregularities” in its accounts and finances over several years.

The charity had income and spending of slightly more than £65,000 in the year to 1 March 2023, latest accounts show.

Sharp said the Charity Commission has been kept informed throughout the case and the regulator has been “content” that the trustees were managing the situation.

“As we mentioned at our annual general meeting, the trustees and committee have now strengthened Sharp’s old financial systems, but more significantly we have also put new policies and procedures in place to ensure this never happens again,” the charity said.

“The accounts have now been fully examined by an external independent accountant who was recommended for his work with charity groups.”

The charity said it had a “very successful season”, despite a shorter time frame and tighter budget in 2024.

“Finally, we would like to thank all the volunteers and the wider community who have been so supportive of Sharp at this difficult time,” the charity said.

The Charity Commission has been contacted for comment.