A CROOKED youth football boss and her husband 'lived like kings' as she plundered the league's coffers to live a luxury lifestyle, Swindon Crown Court has heard.

Karen Prictor siphoned off almost £200,000 from the accounts of the North Wiltshire and District Youth and Minor Football League where she was treasurer.

And during the five years of crime the court heard that Karen, 47, and husband Kevin went on long-haul holidays and stocked their home with expensive electronic goods.

Although council worker Mrs Prictor has admitted taking cash from the football league, her 58-year-old husband insists he knew nothing of his wife's deceit.

Kevin Prictor, of Beverley, Toothill, has pleaded not guilty to possessing criminal property and is standing trial on the allegation at Swindon Crown Court.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told the jury of nine women and three men: "No one, members of the jury, is that daft or unquestioning about their family finances."

During the period from 2009 to 2013 she said Mrs Prictor never took home more than £17,026 a year from her job at Cotswold District Council and Mr Prictor's net pay as an electrician never went above £26,500.

She said Mr Prictor must have known what was going on as the joint bank account he shares with his wife received bank transfers and cash deposits of league funds.

In 2009 more than £30,000 went into their account, with more than £43,000 in 2010, £50,000-plus in 2011, and more than £56,000 in 2012.

And during the six months to June 2013, when the FA started investigating the running of the league, £11,848.75 had gone into the joint account.

As well as taking money from the league's accounts Miss Squire said Karen Prictor also took money from Shaw FC, where she was chairman, and Swindon Rangers FC.

And after the FA banned her from working in football Kevin took her place as chairman and Shaw FC with Karen staying on as treasurer under the name Janet Haworth.

Miss Squire said the league, which currently has about 4,800 children registered with 355 teams, was set up by Margaret Rivers in 2003.

By the time the stealing started, in 2009, Rivers was General Secretary of the league while Karen Prictor was treasurer.

Although the cash siphoned off went into the Prictors' account about £35,000 was paid over to Rivers and the families holidayed together.

During the five years period the Prictors spent more than £10,000 on holidays to Florida, New York, Spain, Cornwall and Mexico as well as spending thousands on computers, a large TV and washing machine.

Miss Squire told the jury: "During this time they lived like kings."

She said in October 2011 they received a PPI payout of £38,000, but that only caused them to up their outgoings.

"The household continued to spent, spend, spend," she said. "Nobody is that unaware of the cost of living.

"He must have suspected the money did not come from legitimate means. By legitimate means I mean his salary or his wife's salary."

"What is clear from the bank account of the Prictors is that the family was living well beyond its means before it received any PPI windfall.

"No one, members of the jury, is that daft or unquestioning about their family finances."

The court was told that Karen Prictor had admitted fraud and false accounting where she doctored paperwork to try and cover up what she had done.

Margaret Rivers, 55, admitted fraud while her husband Andrew, who goes by the name Philip, 58, both of Ramleaze Drive, and both the women have admitted possessing criminal property.

Kevin Prictor denies the charge and the case continues.