School worker gets suspended jail sentence for fraud
A care club manager at a Surrey school who used her position to make personal purchases has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Clare O’Dowd, of West Molesey, had access to cards and cash at St Nicholas Church of England Primary, in Shepperton.
The 42-year-old made purchases, including flights and gift cards, with a combined total of about £15,000.
O’Dowd pleading guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to 20 months in prison suspended for two years at a Guildford Magistrates’ Court hearing.
She was also ordered to repay £13,017 and to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
From March 2021 O’Dowd made personal purchases on the school’s payment card over 18 months.
She also attempted to disguise one of the purchases as a school purchase by logging a fake receipt and took cash from the school, police said.
The school reported the fraudulent transactions to police in December 2022.
Det Con Michael Bambrough said O’Dowd had “continually breached the school’s trust”.
“The length of time that O'Dowd offended for, and that she even tried to cover up her deceit, shows the lengths that she was prepared to go to,” he said.
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