Accounts chief spared prison over £250k school fraud

The accounts chief of a catholic educational trust, which runs four private London schools, was spared prison despite helping herself to nearly £250,000 belonging to the organisation she worked for.

Accountant Melanie Goodwin, 57, even enjoyed a grace-and-favour apartment in a listed 18th century building in London.

Recorder of Croydon, Warwick McKinnon QC, ordered Goodwin to wear an electronic tag and imposed a six-month night-time curfew. But he imposed a suspended sentence at Croydon Crown Court, saying: ‘That was a hairline decision that would be seen by many that you have got away with a serious crime.’

Mother-of-two Goodwin pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by abuse of position against PACT (Parents, Children & Teachers) on various dates between 1 February 2010 and 29 August 2014. The sums in the individual charges were £28,632, £61,948, £66,843, £51,024 and £37,274.

PA