Preschool treasurer jailed for stealing £29k

A debt-ridden treasurer who stole £29,000 from her local preschool funds in north Devon has been jailed for eight months.

Exeter Crown Court heard Jenny Cannon-Smith began stealing from Berrynarbour village preschool six months after taking up the role, and kept diverting money into her accounts for a year.

The court was told the fraud nearly led to the school's closure, but the local community raised enough money in a week to pay staff and keep it going, with one pupil selling his Pokemon cards to raise funds.

However Cannon-Smith's fraud meant tax has not been paid, the court was told.

School committee members said they had sleepless nights as they faced being held responsible for repaying the stolen cash.

The court heard 46-year-old Cannon-Smith, who had no previous convictions, was in a precarious financial position after she tried to run a local pub, but the business failed and she ran up large debts.

She disguised payments and there was a lack of internal controls in the preschool accounts, the court heard.

One person said the school's reputation was damaged by a "callous and premeditated act" which could have cost teaching jobs. Another parent said it was "an intense shock and betrayal by a person I trusted".

Feleena Grosvenor, defending, said Cannon-Smith was deeply ashamed but was in a vicious circle of debt and poor decision-making.

The money was not used on a lavish lifestyle or gambling but to repay debts, she added.

Judge Stephen Climie said Cannon-Smith, who admitted fraud by abuse of position, was repaying debt from her failed pub business which left her owing £50,000.

He said: "You have brought shame and disgrace not only on yourself but other members of your family."

The judge said her conviction should dispel any rumours surrounding any other people in the local close-knit community.

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