Trimley St Martin school worker used its funds for hot tub and holidays

A school business manager who spent more than £13,000 of its funds on a hot tub, holidays and designer clothes has been given a suspended sentence.

Katherine Todd, of Trimley St Martin Primary School, near Felixstowe, also regularly used the purchasing card for her supermarket shopping.

The 49-year-old, of Felixstowe, admitted two counts of fraud at Ipswich magistrates' court.

She was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

The court also ordered her to pay compensation of £13,177 and legal and investigatory costs of £13,500.

Suffolk County Council, whose counter-fraud service investigated, said Todd used the card for personal expenditure between March 2017 and December 2019.

The team found evidence that she had bought holidays and luxury items for her herself, including garden furniture, experience days in London, tickets for West End shows and camping equipment.

The counter-fraud service also discovered that two cheques were paid from the school to Todd to reimburse expenses totalling £391, which were based on false information.

Todd, of Nayland Road, had admitted fraud by abuse of position and fraud by false representation at an earlier hearing.

Rachel Hood, cabinet member for education, SEND and skills at Suffolk County Council said: "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."

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