Gateshead Teacher avoids Prison after embezzling School Trip funds
A trusted PE teacher has narrowly avoided prison after embezzling £2,400 from deposits parents had paid for a school trip.
Gary Greenhouse, who was also assistant head of year at Charles Thorp School in Ryton near Gateshead, stole cash which was intended to pay for pupils to go on a trip to Spain.
The 34-year-old had been put in charge of collecting deposits from the parents for the trip, but instead stole the money over seven months to pay off personal debts.
And, the dad-of-one, was only discovered when some parents asked for refunds and the school found their money had disappeared.
Greenhouse has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to one count of theft at Gateshead Magistrates’ Court.
Gary Fothergill, prosecuting, said the thefts took place between December 1 last year and July 15 this year. He said: “In June, [the Head Teacher] Mr Williamson was made aware by the school finance office there was some irregularities and some families hadn’t had the refunded money they’d requested after they had given cash for the trip. It was investigated and further anomalies were found.
“On August 31, the defendant resigned from his post. He had a meeting with Mr Williamson on September 10 where they discussed the money.
“During this meeting, the defendant admitted taking the money to pay-off loan sharks who had threatened him with violence.”
The court heard that the school had “made good” the losses to the parents and the trip had still gone ahead.
In a victim personal statement read in court, Mr Williamson said: “I’m shocked Gary has deceived me. Teachers should be trusted. He’s supposed to be an example to people and the damage done to bother myself and the school is very upsetting.”
Lisa Callum, mitigating, stated that Greenhouse had lost both his personal and professional integrity in taking the £2,400.
She said: “He got in debt from simply over spending, not from an addiction to drugs or alcohol or gambling. It was always his intention to pay the money back.”
Greenhouse, who was given six months in custody, suspended for 12 months, with 300 hours unpaid community service work, resigned from his post at Charles Thorp. He was also ordered to pay £1,200 compensation.
