Tuesday 23 February 2016

Business Manager Of Catholic Education Trust Admits Defrauding Charity Of £245K

The business manager of a catholic educational trust, which runs four private schools, admitted defrauding the organisation out of £245,000 when she appeared in court for the first time last Friday.

Melanie Goodwin, 57, of Bath Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire appeared on bail at Croydon Magistrates Court.

She pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by abuse of position against PACT (Parents, Children & Teachers) on various dates between February 1, 2010 and August 29, 2014.

The sums in the individual charges are £28,632.21; £61,948.63; £66,843.38; £51,024.92 and £37,274.13.

Goodwin still maintains £20,000 of the total was made up of legitimate travel expenses.

PACT runs Oakwood School, Purley; Oliver House Preparatory School, Clapham and Croydon's Cedars Secondary School and Laurels Secondary School.

Her lawyer, Mr. Jake Taylor, told the court she has been paying back the money.

Goodwin's fraud was discovered after she left the charity and financial reports for 2013/14 were being prepared. 

Goodwin was committed on bail for sentencing at Croydon Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

District Judge Andrew Sweet ordered a probation report and announced: "My sentencing powers are not sufficient for the amounts involved here."

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