Primary school worker who stole £490,000 jailed for more than six years 

A primary school worker who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from the school, leaving it without basic resources, has been jailed for more than six years.  

Debra Poole, 61, relentlessly abused her position as bursar for years while in charge of the bank accounts at Hinchley Wood Primary School in Surrey.

Kingston Crown Court heard how Poole abused her position as signatory of the club’s bank account to the tune of £490,000 from October 2011 until October 2018 by transferring funds, writing out cheques to herself and then cashing the cheques.

The school was left without basic supplies while Poole went on lavish holidays and splashed out on new cars, the court heard.

Poole was convicted of one count of fraud by abuse of position and three counts of fraud by false representation following a trial and sentenced to six and a half years in prison. 

Debra Poole, 61, abused her position as bursar for years, stealing £490,000, while in charge of the bank accounts at Hinchley Wood Primary School

She spent the money on lavish holidays, including trips to Amsterdam and New York, and splurged £7,000 on a week in the Cotswolds 

As well as overseeing the school’s finances, Poole oversaw the documentation used for any changes to staff pay.

She was also in charge of managing the invoices and finances of Woody’s, the school’s breakfast and after school clubs.

She began working at Hinchley Wood as school secretary in February 2000 before being promoted to senior administration officer four years later.

Meanwhile, Poole and her husband, Gary, enjoyed a luxury lifestyle of expensive holidays in locations including New York and Amsterdam.

In February 2009, Poole submitted a ‘Variation in Pay Form’ to Surrey County Council, in which she increased her own salary scale from level E to F.

Two years later she submitted further paperwork increasing her pay scale further from level SP9 to SP10.

She also claimed that between June 2016 and September 2018 she was working 30 hours a week administering the breakfast club and after school clubs.

It was said during the trial that the couple had splurged thousands on holidays including the £13,000 ten-night stay at the exclusive Ikos Olivia resort in Thessaloniki in August 2018.

Earlier that year they splashed out nearly £7,000 on a week’s stay at a luxury cottage for 15 people in Shipston-on-Stour on the edge of the Cotswolds.

The couple enjoyed Christmas and New Year in Australia along with breaks in Venice and Amsterdam.

They visited ‘expensive shops’ and put down large deposits on three new cars including a £29,000 Peugeot SUV.

The couple are also alleged to have transferred nearly £70,000 to their two daughters.

One was able to put down a deposit to buy a house after £37,000 was paid into her partner’s account.

In February 2009, Poole submitted a ‘Variation in Pay Form’ to Surrey County Council, in which she increased her own salary

Poole was convicted of four counts of fraud after it was alleged that she forged the signature of the headteacher of the school on a number of documents 

Husband Gary Poole, 67, was found not guilty of one charge of acquisition, use and possession under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The fraud was discovered after a whistleblower came forward following growing concerns over safeguarding issues at the school and allegations of ‘bullying and intimidation’.

Headteacher Mrs Collins was suspended after an investigation was launched and a new head was brought in when she later resigned.

When asked by police to identify signatures on 42 pages of documents found in Poole home, the former headteacher could only verify eight. 

Surrey County Council auditors were called in after concerns were raised over the school’s finances.

Detective Constable Lloyd Ives, who investigated the case, said: ‘Debra Poole stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from Hinchley Wood Primary School while she was employed there as business manager.

‘This gross breach of trust and her elaborate deception spanning some nine years funded an extravagant lifestyle and afforded her luxury holidays and cars which she would not otherwise have been able to afford.

‘No doubt Debra would have continued had the school not worked out what was going on and reported the matter to police. This resulted in a lengthy and complex investigation which included examining bank accounts and hundreds of documents to prove that she had defrauded the school.’

DC Ives added: ‘I hope that the sentence given to her today shows the seriousness with which such a massive abuse of trust and position is taken.

‘And I hope that it is a deterrent to anyone else thinking of committing similar offences that it is simply not worth the risk – you will get found out.’