A business manager working at Trimley St Martin Primary has today been sentenced for defrauding money from the school totalling nearly £14,000

Katherine Todd, of Nayland Road, Felixstowe, had previously pleaded guilty on 1 April 2022 at Ipswich Magistrates to two counts of fraud over the period of March 2017 to December 2019.

Todd was sentenced today by Suffolk magistrates and handed 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years. 

She was also ordered to pay compensation of £13,177.45 and legal and investigatory costs of £13,502.70. Magistrates described the offence as planned and sophisticated and that she had abused her high position of trust, with school children being the victim. 

The fraud offences charged were fraud by abuse of position and fraud by false representation totalling £13,177.45. 

Investigations by Suffolk County Council's Counter-Fraud Service found evidence of personal expenditure by Todd on the school's purchasing card including holidays, a hot tub, garden furniture, experience days in London, West End show tickets, designer clothes and tent and camping equipment. She also used the same card to regularly buy her food shopping and alcohol from Morrisons and MAKRO.

The Counter Fraud Service also discovered that two cheques were paid from the school to Todd to reimburse expenses totalling £391.71 which were based on false information.

Suffolk councillor rachel Hood said sentence sends out stornhg message

Speaking after the sentencing, Cllr. Rachel Hood, Cabinet Member for Education, SEND and Skills, said: "Today sends a strong message to anyone thinking of defrauding the public purse to think again.  

"This public money should have been used to enhance the education and enjoyment of children at Trimley St Martin Primary School, instead it was selfishly squandered on a luxurious lifestyle. 

 "The county's Counter-Fraud Service will rigorously investigate all allegations of fraud. I am very pleased with today's result and I thank the Counter Fraud Service and our Legal Team for their hard work and professionalism in pursuing this case."