Downfall of Crieff community leader starting 18-month jail sentence

For years, David McCann was the public face of Crieff’s regeneration.

The former Crieff Community Trust chief executive was a key player in the doomed attempt to save the Drummond Arms Hotel and the recent restoration of the Murray Fountain.

He helped bring the Cowches trail to Crieff, raising thousands for charity along the way.

And this summer he won applause when, unable to find a firm to hang the town’s new street banners, he hired the equipment and took a crash course in how to work a cherry picker himself.

So many will be shocked to learn he is now beginning an 18-month jail sentence for stealing £75,000 from a theatre company.

Former panto dame McCann admitted embezzling the funds over a period of almost four years from Paisley’s PACE Theatre, famed for its high-profile alumni which includes Paolo Nutini and James McAvoy.

The 62-year-old, whose stage name is David Wallace, took the money between December 2013 and July 2017 after failing to keep on top of his finances at home.

His court appearances date back to 2019 but it remains unclear who knew what and when about his activities prior to coming to Crieff.

Crieff Community Trust has not yet responded to The Courier’s requests for comment.

Writing on LinkedIn a year ago, trust chair Ailsa Campbell hailed McCann’s appointment as CEO.

“I worked with David on a number of projects with Crieff Succeeds BID,” she said.

“His creativity, community spirit, resourcefulness and the ability to just make things happen means there is no one else I would want for this role.”

Crieff group reveals split with David McCann

McCann’s departure from the trust emerged in a brief, less celebratory, Facebook statement on November 6.

Headlined ‘An announcement from our chair’, it read: “With sincere regret, David McCann has stepped down from his responsibilities at Crieff Community Trust.

“CCT remains focussed on our mission and is committed to the regeneration and well-being of Crieff.

“We will continue to work diligently on behalf of our community.”

Locals praised McCann’s energy and wished him well for the future.

However, the brevity of the statement hinted at a more troubled back story.

By then, McCann had appeared in court to admit the charge of embezzlement.

‘This is just the beginning’

Just three months ago, McCann was in the crowd for the re-opening of the Murray Fountain in the centre of Crieff.

The 130-year-old drinking fountain had been the subject of a £120,000 refurbishment led by the trust.

But the works were not universally popular.

Some locals questioned whether it was money well spent, particularly since the facelift did not include the return of the water supply.

Speaking at the time, McCann defended the cost, saying the Murray fountain was a symbol of better days to come for Crieff.

“There are so many other projects happening at the moment,” he said.

“This is just the beginning for Crieff’s regeneration.”

Drummond Arms ’boutique hotel’ pledge in ruins

The previous year, McCann told The Courier of plans to turn the eyesore Drummond Arms into a £5m “boutique hotel”.

That too ended in ruin just last week when Perth and Kinross councillors agreed to take ownership of the crumbling building and spend up to £3m on its demolition.

The finance committee was told there had been no interest in revamping the town centre landmark since before the pandemic.

McCann was an advisor to the board of Drummond Arms Regeneration Ltd (DARL), the group set up by Crieff Community Trust to try to safeguard the hotel.

Councillors heard DARL had spent more than £1m on its preservation to date.

It says it has now exhausted all funding options and intends to enter voluntary liquidation.

Second Crieff charity distances itself from David McCann

McCann no longer figures on the Crieff Community Trust website.

However, he is still listed on the DARL website as an advisor to its board and chief executive of the trust.

It says he managed the Crieff Business Improvement District from 2018-2021, and supported Crieff Connexions in its move to the former Penny Lane building in the town.

The Trustees of Crieff Connexions, writing on Facebook on Monday, said they were “sad to announce that David McCann is no longer involved with the charity”.

They added: “We are grateful for his work as an independent contractor in supporting our move to the community base on Church Street, from where Crieff Connexions’ team of volunteers and trustees will continue to develop and enhance our services within the community.”

‘Bigger project is Crieff itself’

As boss of Crieff Succeeds, McCann was also responsible for the successful Cowches trail in 2019.

The project saw 11 brightly painted Highland cow benches dotted around the town.

These were later auctioned off to raise almost £25,000 for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA).

In May this year, McCann had his say on a list of 10 Crieff projects with the potential to transform the town’s fortunes.

They included the ill-fated Drummond Arms regeneration and plans for a new cinema on the site of the Star Hotel.

The latter took a step forward with news last week that the hotel demolition is due to begin on January 5 2025.

“We’re lucky in Crieff to have so many groups developing their own ambitious projects,” McCann said at the time.

“But we are also working in partnership for the bigger project, which is Crieff itself.”

Project Crieff may be continuing.

But Monday’s court appearance means it will have to do so without one of its biggest cheerleaders.