A knighted “superhead” and five former colleagues walked free from court today when prosecutors dropped charges that they had plotted to defraud Brent Council of £2.7m in bonuses.
Sir Alan Davies, 65, had been accused of authorising illegal payments over six years while he was headmaster of Copland School in Wembley.
Davies, who was decorated for his services to education, was said to have received himself more than £900,000 in “inappropriate payments.”
He had entertained four prime ministers, one US president and Nelson Mandela during his 20 years as head, but was suspended and later retired when the allegations first emerged in May 2009.
But today the conspiracy charge was dropped against Sir Alan and five other senior school figures.
Instead he pleaded guilty to six counts of false accounting between April 2007 and June 2009.
Judge Deborah Taylor sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years.
“I take into account your achievements but your dishonesty represents a very great fall from grace,” she said.
The judge said he had failed to ensure transparent management at the school and had lied to protect himself.
“What sort of message does that send out as head of a school when you resorted to lies?” The judge asked.
Prosecutors had initially claimed the false accounting was an attempt to cover up the alleged plot.
Davies has admitted tampering with dates on payroll forms but insisted the cash was honestly paid to and received by him.
He was also acquitted of a further count of money laundering for allegedly flushing more than £270,000 of dirty money raked in from the scam from a NatWest bank account into a Spanish account in May 2008.
Davies’ alleged co-conspirators were formally cleared.
They included Dr Richard Evans, 55, a former deputy head and education advisor to PM David Cameron, had been accused of pocketing £600,000.
Also in the dock were the former chair of governors, Dr Indravadan Patel, 73, the former school bursar, Columbus Udokoro, 62, HR manager Michelle McKenzie, 53, and ex-vice chair of governors, Martin Day, were also accused of being involved in the alleged fraud on Brent Council.
All six defendants denied the charges against them.
John Black QC, prosecuting, said there was no application for compensation or legal costs from the defendants.
However the court heard that Brent Council are likely to seek compensation through the civil courts.
