‘pillars of society took credit cards to fund own lifestyles’

Juniper appeared in the dock for sentencing in February, together with former Phoenix school office manager Yvonne Pucknell.

The 58-year-old helped himself to cash as a “free” loan intending to repay it, judge Recorder Mark Ockelton heard during a hearing at Canterbury Crown Court.

Prosecutor Adam Wolstenholme said both admitted fraud by abuse of position while working for Kent County Council at the school.

He said the school’s credit cards were used illegally between January 2011 and April 2013 and the scam was only discovered when Juniper’s successor, Frances Nation, queried accounts which had been officially audited.

Juniper, who was working at Knockhall Community Primary School in Greenhithe when the offences were discovered, disputed the amount he was alleged to have taken.

He claimed he only took £651, but the prosecution say the figure is nearer £4,228.

Martin Khoshdel, defending, said: “He [Juniper] accepts he made purchases at that time which were not for the school but intended paying it back. He is extremely remorseful.”

Pucknell, of Bybrook Close, Kennington, Ashford, received a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

The judge said: “You were regarded as pillars of society but you took credit cards and used them to fund your own lifestyles.”