- Daniel Reynolds concocted scheme at West Earlham Junior School, Norwich
- A school source said: ‘It was a total bolt from the blue. No one expected this.’
An assistant headteacher who concocted a free school meals scam to fund his gambling addiction has been ordered to pay back nearly £15,000.
Daniel Reynolds, 36, was responsible for an ‘egregious breach of trust’ after he spotted the opportunity to pocket extra cash while running the Government’s Holiday Activities and Food programme at his primary school.
The married father-of-one was given money by Norfolk County Council, which was administering the scheme in the area after it was rolled out across the UK following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford.
But Reynolds received free food from local organisations wanting to help pupils in the deprived area, meaning he was able to bank funds while still providing meals for children in his care.
He made more money by taking cash from better-off parents who paid for their children to join the holiday activity programme at West Earlham Junior School, Norwich.
Reynolds had been warned he faced jail after admitting three charges of fraud by false representation and creating false receipts and documentation.
But he was given a ten-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, when he appeared at Norwich Crown Court in February.
At the time, the court accepted the money he made from the scam was around £8,500.
But he has now been ordered to pay back £14,871 following a proceeds of crime hearing at the same court yesterday(WED).
Recorder John Hardy warned him he faced eight months behind bars if he didn’t pay the sum within three months.
Reynolds, who has a degree in sports science and specialised in PE, was highly regarded at his school.
A school source said after his sentence: ‘It was a total bolt from the blue. No one expected this. We all feel betrayed.’
But he was sacked in October 2022 when questions arose about his involvement in the scheme.
Prosecutor Chris Youell told the sentencing hearing Reynolds, of Norwich, started running the programme during the Covid pandemic in the summer of 2021.
The fraudulent activity began when he operated further schemes in Christmas that year and the 2022 Easter break.
Council authorities began checking records after discovering ‘anomalies’ and Reynolds tried to hide his crimes by creating bogus invoices and receipts.
Mr Youell told the court the defendant was guilty of an ‘egregious breach of trust’, using taxpayers’ money as well as donations from a local businessman who had become ‘unwittingly involved in enriching him’.
‘It appears the driving force was difficulties he had got into because of gambling,’ he said.
David Tremain, defending, said his client had not deprived any children as pupils were still able to take part in the holiday schemes and received meals.
Judge Anthony Bates told Reynolds: ‘This was initially an honest and worthwhile activity that benefited the community but then you exploited it for your own dishonesty.’
Reynolds was also ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and given a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement.