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Sydney community figure Gary Morrison has pleaded guilty to an unrelated fraud offence while separately continuing to face allegations connected to the alleged theft of charity funds.

The 70 year old appeared before the Downing Centre Local Court on June 17, where he entered a guilty plea to the fraud matter.

He is due to be sentenced at the Downing Centre in Sydney on Monday, June 29.

No further details about the fraud offence have been made public at this stage.

The development comes months after Morrison was arrested during Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day in Victoria Park, Camperdown, over separate allegations involving a church-connected charity.

Charity theft allegations remain before the courts

Morrison is still preparing to contest charges relating to the alleged misappropriation of approximately $35,000 while serving as treasurer of The Friends of Music, an organisation that supports the music programme at St James’ Anglican Church on King Street.

Authorities allege the transactions occurred between February 2023 and late January this year.

Following his arrest at Mardi Gras Fair Day, Morrison appeared via video link from custody at Silverwater and entered pleas of not guilty to charges including stealing more than $15,000 as a clerk or servant and dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

Bail was refused and those proceedings remain before the courts.

The Friends of Music, established in 2010, describes its purpose as being to 鈥渇oster, engage and support the music programme in the historic church of St James鈥� Sydney,鈥� adding: 鈥淲e collaborate, host and support concert series in the church, and work closely with the Music Department at St James鈥� Church.鈥�

Publicly available financial disclosures indicate the volunteer-run charity operates on a modest annual budget, with yearly expenses of just under $33,000 and limited government income.

Beyond the legal proceedings, Morrison has been a familiar figure within Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community for many years as co-convener of Shine a Light, a peer support group for gay cancer survivors that meets at ACON in Surry Hills.

His professional biography has also described him as a health recruitment business owner and government policy adviser. However, , a spokesperson for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said it 鈥渉as no record of this individual being employed by the department鈥�.

The charity at the centre of the separate allegations is connected to St James’ Church, Sydney’s oldest church building, which celebrated its bicentenary in 2024.

Editor’s note: The fraud offence Morrison pleaded guilty to on June 17 is unrelated to the outstanding allegations concerning The Friends of Music charity matter. Those charges remain before the courts and have not been determined.