Former head jailed for sophisticated fraud at Black Country school

David Bishop-Rowe abused his position at The Sutton School and Specialist College in Dudley to divert sums meant to be for special needs pupils to his private education company and orchestrating a pay rise. He benefited from sums of around £119,500.

The case relates to a period between 2011 and 2013 when Rowe, aged 67, authorised payments for private consultancy work he carried out during school hours to be paid into his private business account, rather than going to the school as it should have done to compensate them for him not being in school. He had denied the allegations in court.

Sentencing him Mr Recorder Simon Ash KC said: “You abused your position as a head at Sutton School where you diverted a certain amount of money which should have gone to the school. You carried out work in school hours when you should have been at the school.

"This was a serious breach of your position, of power and trust and of your responsibility as head. There was significant planning and was committed over a significant period of time."

The judge also said that a female colleague who had followed the defendant’s instructions to sign off his pay rise had no knowledge of the criminal activity.

Bishop-Rowe, of The Crescent, Cradley Heath, was sentenced on Wednesday after being found guilty of two counts of fraud and one count of false representation after a jury trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Miss Catherine Ravenscroft, mitigating barrister, said that well off Bishop-Rowe, who the court heard had purchased a house in Spain during the time of the offences was “remorseful” and had already offered to repay the sums. The court heard that he had the money available following a recent bereavement.

“He has expressed his understanding of the jury’s verdict and his remorse. He did provide work in school hours and is aware that he should not have done. He recognises that the money going to his own business belonged to the school.

“The offending would have had a financial impact on the school and children he had been devoted to teaching. He can afford to repay the amount in full. He is very much aware that his conviction could result with him losing his liberty,” Miss Ravenscroft said.

She asked the judge to suspend the term.

But Mr Recorder Ash jailed him for two-and a -half years on each count to run concurrently. He must serve half of the term before being released on licence.

A confiscation hearing will follow in the new year. As a result the judge made no order for costs and compensation to the school and Dudley Council.

Bishop-Rowe led the school in Scotts Green Close, which serves pupils with autism and special educational needs, from 2002 until he resigned in 2014 after a whistleblower triggered an investigation.

He was then banned from teaching by the National College for Teaching and Leadership, part of the Department for Education, after admitting a string of allegations in 2017. He was subsequently charged with the fraud offences resulting in the prison term.