Head's 'Christmas spree'

Head teacher Colleen McCabe (left) and bursar Maureen Stapley

A head teacher and her bursar accused of stealing up to £500,000 from their school went on a spending spree over Christmas and New Year, a court has heard.

Southwark Crown Court in London was told the pair "hammered" their corporate credit cards in a "blatant" show of profligacy.

Head teacher Colleen McCabe and bursar Maureen Stapley both deny stealing from the Roman Catholic St John Rigby College in West Wickham, near Bromley, in Kent.

They are accused of using school funds to pay for foreign holidays, expensive meals and theatre tickets as well as presents for relatives.

Prosecutor Stephen Wilcken told the court that on New Year's Eve, the credit cards were used to pay for meals priced at a total of £1,144 at a restaurant called Monte Carlo in Sevenoaks.

"I suggest that it is extremely inappropriate spending of public monies", said Mr Wilcken.

"Whether the revellers were pupils, teachers, administrators, staff, governors of the college or a combination of any or all of them, that is not good husbandry of college resources.

"We go further - it is profligate spending of public monies."

The prosecutor said the pair treated the credit cards as if they were their own property.

He referred to credit card statements which listed repeated visits to Debenham's and other shops, plus a £500 payment for some dental work.

"All this spending over the Christmas period, the cards are hammered over that period of time.

"It seems unlikely, you may think, that that is spending that is properly attributable to the wellbeing of the college and its pupils."

He added: "Everything on these accounts can, you may think, properly be addressed as Christmas spending."

The case continues.