A former Lincoln churches boss who lied about his qualifications to secure a job which earned him £500,000, had previously been jailed for theft.
Max Manin, the chief executive of the Lincoln Diocese between 2004 and 2012, claimed on his CV he had a first class honours degree in English literature and fine art and a management diploma.
But he was actually a convicted thief who was jailed at Wood Green Crown Court in 1993 for theft and false accounting after he stole money from an NHS medical practice where he worked and then attempted to cover it up.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Manin changed his name when he was released and enrolled at Sheffield University in 1994 as a mature student but dropped out without taking his final exams.
He later became deputy director of the gay rights group Stonewall and applied for the Lincoln Diocese post when it became vacant in 2004.
Jonathon Dee, prosecuting, said Manin would not have been interviewed if his true qualifications were known.
After he got the job, Manin asked to see the Bishop of Lincoln John Saxbee and revealed his criminal past.
Mr Dee said: "The bishop discussed that with his two suffragen bishops. It was decided between them in the spirit of Christian forgiveness that the job still be offered to Manin."
Manin earned £500,000 for the eight years he held his job. His lack of qualifications came to light after a building project he headed overspent by £300,000.
He was suspended and the subsequent inquiry revealed he did not have either the qualifications that he claimed.
Judge Michael Stokes said Manin was a "hypocrite" for only coming clean about his crimes after he got the senior Church of England role.
Passing sentence on Manin, Judge Stokes quoted a passage from St Luke.
"He who exalts himself shall be humbled. He who humbles himself shall be exalted," he said. "You are now humbled because you have to plead guilty to these charges."
Read more: http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Lin ... z2e7JlqJzK
Don't look very humbled to me. More like he's after the judges post next.
