AN ANIMAL rights campaigner who pocketed thousands of pounds from street collections was jailed today at Stafford Crown Court.

Lee Devenport was arrested in Hanley on July 10 last year after setting up a stall without a council permit. He was campaigning against the use of bearskin hats by the Queen's Guards and falsely claimed to be working with legitimate animal rights organisations.

The 41-year-old invited people to sign a petition and asked for cash – giving a homemade newsletter in return – and received a total of £21.65 before his arrest.

At his home, Staffordshire Police found £3,195 in cash and discovered Devenport had taken around £8,700 by making up to five collections a week in the north west of England between October 2006 and July 2007. Petitions he gathered had not been sent to Parliament.

Devenport, unemployed and on incapacity benefit, put the money in a bank account which he used to promote his music band Alternative Influence. It also funded his living and personal expenses, including a satellite TV subscription, and paid musicians in the band.

Following a seven-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in September, Devenport, of Watling Street, Bury, was convicted of seven counts of fraud and two money laundering offences. He was acquitted of one fraud charge.

Devenport, who denied all charges, was also convicted of making a false declaration to obtain vehicle insurance.

At Stafford Crown Court this afternoon, he was jailed for 15 months.

Chief Inspector David Bird, who led the inquiry, said Staffordshire Police was working closely with Uncaged, a leading animal rights campaign organisation, to draw up a national code of conduct for street collectors.

"Devenport duped generous members of the public – many of them elderly – into making donations to what they thought was a bona fide cause," said Chief Inspector Bird. "He repeatedly exploited people's goodwill, and maligned legitimate campaign organisations by using their names without consent.

"The work we're doing with Uncaged on behalf of the police service nationally will help prevent this type of crime. The code of conduct will give people confidence that their donations are going to legitimate causes."