Spending spree head fails to appear

Colleen McCabe lavished gifts on friends

A head teacher, who was found guilty of stealing £500,000 from her school, has failed to turn up at court for sentencing.

Former nun Colleen McCabe was warned by a judge at London's Southwark Crown Court in July that she faced a lengthy jail sentence after her "gross betrayal" of trust.

On Friday Judge Christopher Elwen issued a warrant for her arrest not backed for bail.

Anthony Wilcken, for the prosecution, said they want to find McCabe as they believe there is a serious risk she may harm herself.

The court had heard that in a display of greed that "would have made Imelda Marcos proud", the principal's love affair with footwear alone cost £7,000.

TEACHER'S SHOPPING LIST £7,000 on shoes £270 for a season ticket to Crystal Palace FC as a gift £836.25 on a visit to the Hilton £112.91 for a pair of sunglasses £377.30 in Tesco £500 dental treatment £423 on cosmetics and a variety of "dog treats" £1,500 for just two visits to a "favourite watering hole" - the Monte Carlo restaurant, in Sevenoaks, Kent. £1,500 for top bracket tickets and champagne receptions for Saturday Night Fever and Phantom of the Opera

McCabe, principal of Roman Catholic St John Rigby College in West Wickham, Bromley, was found guilty of 11 sample counts of theft and six of deception.

Paul Lewis, QC, defending, told the court on Friday he had received a message saying McCabe had been taken into hospital suffering from chest pains on Thursday.

But when they tried to get hold of the doctor they were told she had discharged herself overnight before awaiting the results of tests and had disappeared.

Defence solicitor Tony Marshall told BBC News 24: "I have no idea where she is at the moment but I do have concerns about her well being.

"There may be a fear of self harm. It's not for me to go into the contents of the psychiatric report. I don't think she had a history of mental illness but I think this has been very stressful for her."

'Expressed remorse'

When asked about newspaper reports in which a colleague compared her to a female Saddam Hussein, he said: "I think that's had a huge impact on Colleen.

"I think being compared to Saddam Hussein, anybody would be rather upset about that and in the circumstances I think that has had a very serious adverse affect on her health."

Mr Marshall also said that on a personal level McCabe has "expressed remorse about the way things have turned out".

During the nine-week trial the court was told that massive amounts of money were spent on furniture, electrical goods, designer clothes and cosmetics, while gifts were lavished on relatives and friends.

Financial crisis

The 50-year-old, from Sidcup, Kent, also bought Gucci jewellery, meals at fine restaurants, West End theatre "extravaganza" trips, a journey on the Orient Express and sunshine holidays.

Meanwhile her school went from one financial crisis to another, with a library full of empty shelves and teachers having to clean their own classrooms, the jury was told.

The head teacher was caught when the grant maintained school returned to the control of the London Borough of Bromley.

In November 1999 council auditors were sent in and reported "grave concerns" about the school's accounts, which led to McCabe's arrest.