A HEADMASTER stole more than £53,000 from his school to fund his gambling addiction.
Andrew Thomas Wilkie, 41, headteacher at Southdown Primary School, Buckley, was suspended when it was discovered he had helped himself to school funds.
He started stealing the money after losing his life savings on online gambling sites.
Wilkie, of Pentre Lane, Buckley, owned up to the theft when the school was threatened with an emergency audit after an anonymous tip-off.
He pleaded guilty at Wrexham Magistrates Court yesterday to stealing a total of £53,438 from Southdown Primary.
The money was taken by credit transfer between March 31 and October 19 last year.
Matthew Ellis, prosecuting, said Flintshire Council had received two anonymous letters urging it to investigate the misuse of funds at the school.
On October 18, Flintshire’s education department notified the school it was going to carry out an urgent audit of school funds.
By the end of that day, Mr Ellis said Wilkie was described as “clearing his desk.”
He went home and told his wife: “We’re in financial ruin, I’ve stolen £53,000 from the school.”
He then contacted the school governors and said “come round and see me now, it’s urgent”.
He told the chairman of governors: “I’ve done something very wrong and it’s going to have big implications for the school.”
Mr Ellis said Wilkie went on to explain he had a gambling problem and had spent all his family savings on online poker websites, had had to re-mortgage his home, and was now using the school’s money.
He apologised to the governors profusely throughout the conversation, Mr Ellis said.
Wrexham Magistrates said their powers were not sufficient to sentence Wilkie, due to the large amount of money involved.
The case was committed for sentencing to Chester Crown Court on March 15.
Unconditional bail was granted.