Copland six to stand trial next September
Former head teacher and five ex-colleagues accused of �2.7m fraud at Wembley school
A knighted former head teacher and five colleagues accused of a �2.7million fraud at a Wembley secondary school will stand trial in September next year.
Sir Alan Davies, 65, former head of Copland Community School, is accused of conspiring with Dr Richard Evans, 55, former deputy head, Indravadan Patel, 73, former chairman of governors, Columbus Udokoro, 61, ex-bursar, Michele McKenzie, 53, former human resources manager and Martin Day, 58, ex-vice chairman of governors, to defraud Brent Council.
It is alleged that while at the school in Cecil Avenue, money was paid out in improper bonuses between April 2003 and June 2009.
None of the six defendants has yet formally entered pleas to the charges.
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Today (Friday), at Southwark Crown Court all six appeared in the dock where they spoke only to confirm their identities during a brief hearing.
Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith ordered the group to return on September 16 next year for a trial expected to last three months.
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According to court documents Davies, from Mill Hill, allegedly received more than �900,000 in ‘inappropriate payments’.
Dr Evans, from Barnet, is said to have obtained �600,000.
Indravadan Patel, from Stanmore, is also accused of involvement in the scam.
He faces one charge of conspiracy to defraud and another of falsifying documents for accounting purposes.
Udokoro, from Greenford, and McKenzie, 52, from Ruislip, are both accused of conspiracy to defraud and of falsifying documents for accounting purposes.
Day, from Halstead, Essex, faces one count of conspiracy to defraud.
All six are remanded on bail on the condition they live and sleep at the addresses lodged with the court.
