Internet Gambling Addict Jailed

Shamed Flintshire headteacher jailed for £53,000 theft
Mar 29 2012 Flintshire Chronicle

A HEADTEACHER who stole £53,000 of school funds to finance his gambling addiction has been jailed for 16 months.

A court heard how father-of-three Andrew Thomas Wilkie, 41, became depressed when he was suspended following an allegation of a sexual nature by a child.

Following a full police investigation, no action was taken against him and he was allowed to return to school, but he secretly turned to online poker gambling.

He blew the family’s £90,000 savings, then the £70,000 he got by remortgaging the family home without his wife knowing, before turning to the school fund.

Mold Crown Court, sitting at Chester, heard how Wilkie knew the charitable fund was operated within the school and not subject to local education authority (LEA) auditing.

He spent all that on gambling as well, which meant a proposed extension to the school hall at Southdown Primary School, Buckley, had to be put on hold.

Two anonymous letters were received by Flintshire LEA and following the tip-off Wilkie – at the school for 17 years, the last three as headteacher – was told an emergency audit would take place.

James Coutts, prosecuting, said Wilkie cleared his desk and went home to tell his wife they were in financial ruin. He then sent a text to chairman of governors Martin Bradley asking him to come around urgently.

Wilkie, who was immediately suspended, kept on apologising and said he wanted to pay back the money.

He provided four A4 pieces of paper detailing the money he had taken, said no-one knew what he was doing, not even his wife, who had trusted him to handle the finances and who was pregnant with their third child at the time.

The headteacher had been so trusted that other signatories signed blank cheques. Wilkie then photocopied one for school funds and made up a legitimate reason for spending it, while the real cheque was paid into his own account. He had also used school computers to make money transfers into his own account.

Mr Bradley had since taken him to Gamblers Anonymous.

Wilkie admitted two theft charges, with eight similar offences taken into consideration amounting to £53,438.

Patrick Williamson, defending, said Wilkie had been a highly successful headteacher, held in extremely high regard, and the school performed well in inspections.

His wife’s father was ill and died and when he returned to work in December 2010 he was devastated. The effect on him was significant, his accusers were still in school and his requests to the LEA for inter-agency help for the children and himself fell on deaf ears. His addiction to poker grew and he could not seek help.

Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said it was a very sad but very serious case.

The court heard staff and pupils had been left devastated by his crimes and in a state of disbelief.