Church fraud accused remanded on bail

A man who allegedly gambled away money that churchgoers thought they had donated for his medical treatment was today remanded on bail for two weeks.

Gerard Francis Marychurch, 39, faced eight charges of obtaining money by deception, with each count relating to an amount above $1000.

His case was called before a registrar in Auckland District Court and he was remanded until November 19.

Marychurch is alleged to have used the pretext that he needed cancer treatment and parishioners at a number of churches collected money on his behalf.

Last month, a letter of apology bearing his name was handed out at St Francis and St Therese church in Pt Chevalier.

In the letter, he said he had been unwell and some of the money had been used for medical bills, but most had gone towards his gambling addition.

- NZPA