Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

Has there definitely been a report to the police, if so it shouldn't take too long to investigate. Worse case scenario they may interview you as a formality but please try to put this out of your mind. You need to put this to the side and just carrying on being the mother and wife that you are. You may not hear anything back at all. No news is good news as they say, right?

The head teacher has told me that it has been made yes but I have no way of been certain. Do you think it is likely they would have interviewed me by now, had they opened up an investigation?
Do you think they will call me to arrange a date/time to turn up at my home to question me?
And do you think it's time for me to speak to a solicitor so I can have one on standby should they come and question me/invite me in?

[Openlaw15]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

The head teacher has told me that it has been made yes but I have no way of been certain. Do you think it is likely they would have interviewed me by now, had they opened up an investigation?
Do you think they will call me to arrange a date/time to turn up at my home to question me?
And do you think it's time for me to speak to a solicitor so I can have one on standby should they come and question me/invite me in?

How long's it been now since you were told you were being reported to the police? I cannot believe that they've been so cruel/ harsh to report you to the police. Nemesis said in his situation that the school staff involved had vote so why wasn't your position subject to a vote? I would definitely report this teacher as she doesn't seem to understand the problems and the mental anguish that this has caused you.

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

How long's it been now since you were told you were being reported to the police? I cannot believe that they've been so cruel/ harsh to report you to the police. Nemesis said in his situation that the school staff involved had vote so why wasn't your position subject to a vote? I would definitely report this teacher as she doesn't seem to understand the problems and the mental anguish that this has caused you.

I was told Tuesday morning - around 7am by email. This was purely because I asked the head what was happening with the PTA now.
I don't think it has been put to a vote other than between herself and the chair of governors. There was another member of the PTA and she hasn't even been spoken to about this, just me.
She could see that I was upset when this first came to light and I even told her I felt physically unwell and she knows the pressure and anguish I feel right now because I have told her.
I don't want to report her and this be seen as a way for me to get the case dropped so to speak. I have no problems with speaking with the police and to 'clear my name' so to speak, I just find it concerning that over a week later I haven't heard anything from the police and nor has she!

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

I was chair of my grand children's PTA for a number of years and had an incident where the treasurer had not
been paying money into the PTA bank account. [MENTION=6]Amethyst[/MENTION] is spot on the breach of fiduciary duties.
Once the books have been audited after the monies have been
banked there is a significant shortage in the account you would no doubt
be called to account for this

Is this PTA run by a committee with elected officer. i.e. Chair deputy chair, secretary and all importantly a treasurer.
Is the PTA a registered charity?

Can I ask you a few more questions if I may please?
How soon after you contacted the police did someone come and speak to you?
Did the police give you any advice in this matter? Ie - how it could look on the school etc if this matter went any further?
Did any of you actually think this person had stolen the amount from the PTA or misappropetion had happens?
Thanks in advance for your help x

[mariefab]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

You really need to calm down and look at this situation clearly. I think that the only thing that you are actually guilty of is allowing yourself to be taken advantage of by agreeing to take on all these tasks.

The potential School/Police side is that a formal audit shows that due to missing receipts and other paperwork the accounts don't balance and funds weren't banked.

On your side just from what you've written here:
Was a formal audit undertaken and signed off immediately before you took over? (I don't think so.) If not, how on earth did they come up with a starting point/date for the audit?
You were given no training or guidance. (Did they even show you how to use the spreadsheets or ledgers?) You have no accounting experience.
Your request for a treasurer went unanswered.
When you raised that £30 was unaccounted for you were told not to worry about it because it was a small amount.

The Head knows all this and has completely failed to oversee matters. Now that it's gone tits up she's decided to throw you under the bus to cover her own ass.
As for the banking, you did make a few attempts. But between raising 2 children, maintaining a home, running your own business and providing a great deal of additional assistance to the school you didn't get around to it. However, you kept all the funds safely at home.

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

You really need to calm down and look at this situation clearly. I think that the only thing that you are actually guilty of is allowing yourself to be taken advantage of by agreeing to take on all these tasks.

The potential School/Police side is that a formal audit shows that due to missing receipts and other paperwork the accounts don't balance and funds weren't banked.

On your side just from what you've written here:
Was a formal audit undertaken and signed off immediately before you took over? (I don't think so.) If not, how on earth did they come up with a starting point/date for the audit?
You were given no training or guidance. (Did they even show you how to use the spreadsheets or ledgers?) You have no accounting experience.
Your request for a treasurer went unanswered.
When you raised that £30 was unaccounted for you were told not to worry about it because it was a small amount.

The Head knows all this and has completely failed to oversee matters. Now that it's gone tits up she's decided to throw you under the bus to cover her own ass.
As for the banking, you did make a few attempts. But between raising 2 children, maintaining a home, running your own business and providing a great deal of additional assistance to the school you didn't get around to it. However, you kept all the funds safely at home.

Thank you for your reply
When I took over I did say that I thought money was missing and I was told forget it and move on.
I did say we would ensure that we would keep on top of the books and I did my best. I can say hand on heart I did - just a shame it wasn't good enough
I did have a spreadsheet but I couldn't find it when everything came to light and I advised that I could send it over the Xmas period and she never asked for it again
No audit was done on previous years and as far as I'm aware still hasn't it's purely my year. It's almost a year to the day I took on the PTA.
Oh yes she has most definitely done that! She mentioned that at one point I said we had more money than I have said we did - this was an oversight on my part because I didn't realise that there were funds owing to people who had paid for things such as meat for a BBQ this was almost £150 and a few other bits. This surely cannot be used as 'evidence' although it was in an email I sent her. But again, I made a mistake. An actual human error not intended to be a lie etc
She said that two cheques we sent didn't arrive with the companies - how can this be evidence of wrong doing? I didn't personally post the cheque and the person who did has never been questioned over this matter or called in and thrown the wolves like I have been
The main concern I have is the missing sponser money in all honesty.
It was claimed that was missing a few hundred pounds but I have witnessed who can vouch for me how much money was counted and how we never saw a single sponser form for any of the children, nor given an amount of what it should be. This error surely lies solely with the staff. It happened so long ago that I doubt that cctv evidence of me taking the money and sat counting it will even be available it was June! Again I never took money on my own. I'm not that stupid! The books so to speak were bits of paper that had numerous people's hand writing on there, not just mine with figures for each month.
We had said we were going to get a new treasurer and get them to sort everything out in the new year, as in now and the head knew all of this before reporting me to the police.
I just find it very difficult to believe she has acted this way in all honestly.
I have acted with dignity at all times and have even assisted with matters such as befriending lonely parents etc when she has asked this of me. I have never once refused any assistance. She has taken advantage of my kind nature and now thrown it all back in my face. To say to someone take care after this incident is just uncalled for!
Thank you again! Xx

[mariefab]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

The fact that didn't take into account that £150 was owed for the BBQ meat when you said how much money was in the fund is only 'evidence' that at the time you'd forgotten to deduct it.

In June you asked for the sponsor forms so that you could check that they tallied with the money counted. This was refused so all that you knew was the amount collected. Someone at the school must have had access to both the pieces of information. So, if there was a discrepancy it should have come to light last June. That would have been the proper time to query it.

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

The fact that didn't take into account that £150 was owed for the BBQ meat when you said how much money was in the fund is only 'evidence' that at the time you'd forgotten to deduct it.

In June you asked for the sponsor forms so that you could check that they tallied with the money counted. This was refused so all that you knew was the amount collected. Someone at the school must have had access to both the pieces of information. So, if there was a discrepancy it should have come to light last June. That would have been the proper time to query it.

Totally agree! I was never even asked how much money was counted. It was only when the cheque book was looked at that the staff member was asked about it and she no there was more than that. If the school had counted it, surely it is there duty to hand the money over and for me to count it in front of them. This was not done and money is openly left in draws! I have text messages on my phone asking me to go and collect money from someone's draw! Not the safe! But the safe is often left unlocked and at least 5 people have access to this who work within the office etc. It's just concerning that's over a week and the school haven't heard back. I'm presuming that they haven't even given a witness statement as such to the police, just phoned and reported it.
Thanks again for your reply! It's a massive help to me as I'm sure you can see I'm really struggling with it at the moment and I know there are other people out there who need help too so thank you!

- - - Updated - - -

Totally agree! I was never even asked how much money was counted. It was only when the cheque book was looked at that the staff member was asked about it and she no there was more than that. If the school had counted it, surely it is there duty to hand the money over and for me to count it in front of them. This was not done and money is openly left in draws! I have text messages on my phone asking me to go and collect money from someone's draw! Not the safe! But the safe is often left unlocked and at least 5 people have access to this who work within the office etc. It's just concerning that's over a week and the school haven't heard back. I'm presuming that they haven't even given a witness statement as such to the police, just phoned and reported it.
Thanks again for your reply! It's a massive help to me as I'm sure you can see I'm really struggling with it at the moment and I know there are other people out there who need help too so thank you!

Just to add to this also that I would say I was refused access to this information as I asked numerous times for the sponser forms!

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

Sorry to keep asking questions all the time but today I have been contacted by the other member of the PTA
She has spoken with the head and this is what she has said
- she has passed the matter over to the police for them to decide if I have done something legally wrong - she doesn't beleive that I have stolen anything but there are some descrepancies
- I wrote terms and conditions and within them I say that no funds should be taken home and a float should be left in the school safe, funds would be banked as soon as possible etc. - these were never signed by me or anyone else. I do not have any copy of this and cannot really remember what I wrote in there
- I told her by email that there were more money in the sponser ship money than I am now saying there was. - I don't remember this and I am presuming that this was an innocent mistake on my part but I am worried that this may have incrimated myself here without really realising. I did have others present when counting the money and I presume what I have done it added the wrong figures together.
- the sponser ship cheque has never been received by the firm so she thinks that I'm dishonest and never sent the cheque because I have taken the money myself
- there are somethings on receipts that she has that shows I have spent money on items that are not PTA - there was a teddy bear and also some pop - the pop was for people helping out make items for an event and I don't recall the teddy tbh! It was almost a year ago now and we have used teddy bears for events in the past
- she has said that she has email's where I have claimed to have more money than I am now saying we had. I don't have access to these emails any more because I used a school account and I no longer have access to this because she has removed me from it: I must repeat that I have never, ever counted money on my own and the other member of the PTA knew how much money I had etc
/ she said that I have claimed to have banked money and I haven't don't this. Again I don't remember this in conversations but if I have said this it is not meant to be dishonest, it was said because I was meaning to do so! Not me wanting to deceive anyone

Now I know this is there anything anyone can help me with!? Do I need to go and speak to a lawyer so I am ready for the knock on the door??? Sorry I am really in a mess here!

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

Just another question
I am DBS checked, will this be revoked if I am under investigation for anything at all and will I be made aware of this by the DBS? Thanks

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

So today I have had an email from the head teacher. She has told me that she has tried to contact the police for an update but that she was unable to get one. This was because the person dealing with the case was not available but they did say it was been dealt with. She then went onto say that she will keep me updated when she does get an update or hears back from them. Does this mean that I am under investigation? Or does that mean that someone is still looking at the case and hasn't come to any conclusions yet. It is over two weeks ago that she reported the matter to the police according to her. What I do find very odd tho is that she called another person who has helped with the PTA in the past this morning and she was asked if she signed any contract etc when she agreed to her role, to which the answer was no and I would have thought had the head done her job properly she would have known the answer to this question. I am suspecting the head hasn't been entirely true full with me but who knows!
Does anyone know how long it could be before I hear anything from the police? Like I say it's over two weeks ago now she reported it and 7 weeks ago since this sorry mess started and it's really affecting me with the whole 'what ifs'
Thank you again for any advice any one can give me

[Openlaw15]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

So today I have had an email from the head teacher. She has told me that she has tried to contact the police for an update but that she was unable to get one. This was because the person dealing with the case was not available but they did say it was been dealt with. She then went onto say that she will keep me updated when she does get an update or hears back from them. Does this mean that I am under investigation? Or does that mean that someone is still looking at the case and hasn't come to any conclusions yet. It is over two weeks ago that she reported the matter to the police according to her. What I do find very odd tho is that she called another person who has helped with the PTA in the past this morning and she was asked if she signed any contract etc when she agreed to her role, to which the answer was no and I would have thought had the head done her job properly she would have known the answer to this question. I am suspecting the head hasn't been entirely true full with me but who knows!
Does anyone know how long it could be before I hear anything from the police? Like I say it's over two weeks ago now she reported it and 7 weeks ago since this sorry mess started and it's really affecting me with the whole 'what ifs'
Thank you again for any advice any one can give me

The police have a duty to investigate any activity reported as crime. It does not mean you will be charged though. Please try to stop worrying. If you need to contact the police (if you really feel it is necessary too.. personally I wouldn't, i'd just get on with my life), do it yourself as the head teacher is not helpful and just makes you worry.

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

The police have a duty to investigate any activity reported as crime. It does not mean you will be charged though. Please try to stop worrying. If you need to contact the police (if you really feel it is necessary too.. personally I wouldn't, i'd just get on with my life), do it yourself as the head teacher is not helpful and just makes you worry.

Thank you! I am trying very hard to put the sorry mess behind me. I wish I never got involved with the school whatsoever tbh! I would have thought if there was some solid evidence that the police would have been to speak to me, or at least the school by now. It just makes me wonder with the whole contacting someone to see if they had signed a contract from me. No one has because I didn't even do this! So I presume on the evidence she has tried to build a case against me on which was the whole 'you said you would follow some guidelines you had written' which we never agreed upon perhaps she knows a little more than she is lettin on. Thanks for your advice but I have no intention of going to the station as I was advised that this could possibly be damming for me and it is unlikely the police will tell me anything anyway

[Amethyst]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

Stop What iffing.... honestly. Sounds like the head is trying to save her own ass here, concentrate on your own life and the kiddlies xxxx

Unless you are charged with an offence nothing will show on your DBS.

[Terrified please help me]

Re: Advice needed urgently please - legal matter

Stop What iffing.... honestly. Sounds like the head is trying to save her own ass here, concentrate on your own life and the kiddlies xxxx

Unless you are charged with an offence nothing will show on your DBS.

Thanks again. That's what i am trying to concentrate on here. I am doing my best with the kiddies and have ensured that should I be questioned, there will be someone around to collect them from school etc. That's my main concern them and it always has been during this mess. They don't deserve this and tbh I don't think I do either but let's just say I will never help out in a volunteering role again. X