A CLERICAL worker at a North-East special school stole cash collected from parents to pay for trips and school dinners for their children, a court heard.

Heather Waterson, 40, Park Drive, Langley Park, pleaded guilty to stealing £500 when she appeared at Consett Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Tuesday, September 23).

The court heard she stole the cash while working at Durham Trinity School and Sport College.

John Garside, prosecuting, said she had been taken on as a clerical assistant at the school in September 2003.

He said: “This is a case where the defendant has worked at Durham Trinity School as a clerical assistant.

“Duties included being in charge of money being paid in by parents in the form of cash and cheques for dinner money and school trips and other money that had been paid into the school.

"Part of her role there was to collect money. Part of the allegation is that she stole £500 that was handed in by people."

Durham Trinity School and Sports College, on the outskirts of Durham City, caters for pupils aged two to 19.

Students suffer from a range of special educational needs including moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, communication disorders including specialist autistic provision and profound and multiple learning difficulties.

Waterson, who was not represented and offered no mitigation to magistrates, committed the theft earlier this year.

Mr Garside said Waterson, who has no previous convictions, was suspended on March 7, and handed in a letter of resignation on March 14.

He said she had co-operated with police, who were prepared to deal with the matter by issuing her with a conditional caution if she repaid the money.

The court heard no money was received and police issued a summons to proceed with the prosecution.

Mr Garside said: “The primary aim of the Crown is to recover the money.”

The court was told Waterson does have the money to repay to the school.

She has been granted conditional bail and must return to the court for sentence on Thursday after reports are prepared by the Probation Service.

A school spokesman said no-one was in a position to comment on the case when contacted by The Northern Echo.