Police investigate after museum door lock is 'sabotaged'

Authorities are looking into an incident at Congleton Museum where a lock was deliberately damaged. Cheshire Police reported that a key had broken inside the lock, prompting an official inquiry.

The museum confirmed that the lock had been deliberately tampered with, though staff were eventually able to access the building and a locksmith repaired the door.

This event follows an ongoing Charity Commission investigation into the museum over governance concerns stemming from a dispute among its trustees.

Founding trustee Ian Doughty has faced calls to step down amid allegations that he altered the locks and attempted to suspend the other seven trustees. Anne Gubbins, co-chair of the museum, representing the seven trustees, described the situation as "getting out of hand."

An internal report commissioned by the trustees classified the recent events as a "serious incident" and noted that the Charity Commission had been informed. The regulator stated: "We have opened a compliance case into Congleton Museum Trust to assess concerns raised about the charity's governance."

Arts Council England confirmed that the museum has been added to its risk register.

Mr. Doughty has previously claimed he was targeted by a "misinformation campaign" and dismissed the independent report as "fake," maintaining that the museum remains secure and continues to benefit from volunteer efforts. He also reported to Cheshire Police that unauthorized transactions had been made from the museums account.

Ms. Gubbins explained that the payments in question were for work completed as part of a grant project and for the independent report, stating: "There was no earthly reason for why we shouldn't have made these payments."

A Cheshire Police spokesperson added: "Police are currently reviewing an allegation of fraud in relation to the museum. Enquiries are continuing."

Author: Sophia Brooks