A school governor stole thousands of pounds raised by youngsters through non-uniform days and discos.
Nicola Jayne Sterio, 38, a mother of three, helped organise a number of events at Southdown CP School in Buckley , where she had also been a governor for more than three years.
A court heard how parents helped raise £7,000 but only some of it was paid over.
The theft unravelled when a cheque bounced and Sterio suddenly resigned the day after, agreeing to drop off the accounts and chequebook but not turnig up.
When the school did get its hands on the accounts, they found money raised from non-uniform days, sports days and school discos had not been paid into them.
Sterio, said to be in financial difficulties, admitted stealing the proceeds of school fund raising events between January 2014 and July of last year.
At Flintshire magistrates’ court at Mold Sterio, of Yowley Road in Ewloe , was told that it was a significant breach of a high degree of trust.
The single mum, who had never been in any trouble before, received a 26 week prison sentence suspended for a year. She was ordered to pay £5,000 compensation with £165 costs.
District Judge Gwyn Jones told her it was “a significant breach of trust, not only against the school but against the community as a whole by diverting funds for the school into your own purse.”
The funds had been destined to benefit the children. Schools, he said, were dependent upon such voluntary contributions for supplied and her school was no exception.
Sterio had no previous convictions and the credit for her guilty plea at the first hearing would be reflected by not sending the case to the crown court for sentence.
Prosecutor Rhian Jackson said the defendant was responsible for fund raising events at the school.
Parents had been raising money for two specific projects – climbing equipment and a canopy for a reception children’s in-space project – at a total cost of £7,067.
The school had paid the money and the defendant had been asked for the funds on several occasions but always found an excuse not to do so.
Arrested in December, she admitted stealing money raised during the events.
She was a single mother of three who had been struggling financially who had always intended to pay the money back, but matters escalated. She wanted to tell the school but was embarrassed, she said.
Brian Cross, defending, stressed that she was a woman of good character who had got into severe financial difficulties.
Initially she started using the money before banking it intending to pay it back but there had been difficulties over her benefits. She also had other difficulties including bereavements.
She was a vulnerable lady who could not cope in the job and when her benefits stopped she was unable to repay the money.
She was remorseful in the extreme and she wished she could “turn the clock back”.
Probation officer Pamela Roberts said that Sterio felt “horrific” about the crime she had committed, and was extremely remorseful.
She had three boys aged 12, nine and six, and she now had a partner who was supportive and helping to sort out her finances.
The defendant had worked as a travel agent, as a youth worker and a class room assistant and had a positive attitude towards employment. She currently had two job interviews lined up and was a low risk of reconviction.
SEE-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/buckley-school-governor-steals-kids-10689168
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