Former girls' school headteacher to face trial over fraud charges

Hilary French, who worked at Newcastle High School for Girls, faces allegations that she submitted fraudulent expense claims and stole an iPad Pro from the establishment in Jesmond. During a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, the 66-year-old denied three charges of fraud and one of theft.

The first fraud charge states she abused her position as headmistress at Newcastle High School for Girls by making fraudulent expense claims in relation to John Lewis vouchers worth £2,970 between April 2016 and February 2018. The second is that she abused her position at the school to submit a fraudulentexpense claim for £220.83 in relation to meals with former students in November 2017.

The third is that she abused her position to submit £295 in fraudulent expenses between November 2017 and January 2018. The theft charge relates to stealing an iPad Pro, worth £1,070, that belonged to the school, between November 2017 and January 2018.

French, of Wearside Drive, Durham, entered a plea of not guilty to all charges during the short hearing. She now faces a trial by jury on August 21 next year.

A further pre-trial hearing will take place on February 10. Judge Paul Sloan KC granted her conditional bail in the meantime.