Spending spree head arrested

Colleen McCabe was taken to hospital by ambulance

A head teacher who failed to turn up at court on Friday to be sentenced for stealing £500,000 from her school is in police custody after undergoing tests in hospital.

Colleen McCabe was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, after being attended by medical staff at her house in Sidcup, Kent on Friday afternoon.

McCabe had been due be sentenced on Friday morning, following a court case in July, when she was warned she faced a lengthy jail sentence.

But the former nun did not turn up at London's Southwark Crown Court and Judge Christopher Elwen issued a warrant for her arrest.

She is now due to appear at Greenwich Magistrates' Court on Saturday and faces a sentencing hearing at a Crown Court next week.

Her behaviour has been slightly erratic and we naturally have concerns about her well-being Tony Marshall, McCabe's solicitor

Earlier Anthony Wilcken, for the prosecution, had told the court they wanted to find McCabe as they believed there was a serious risk she may harm herself.

Paul Lewis, QC, defending, said 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.

Very stressful

She was later found at her home and taken to hospital.

McCabe's solicitor Tony Marshall told BBC News 24 his client had a history of mental illness.

"I think this has been very stressful for her", he said.

"Her behaviour has been slightly erratic and yesterday (Thursday) with her hospitilisation for chest pains, we naturally have concerns about her well-being."

Earlier, 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 had cost £7,000.

Gucci jewellery

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.

The 50-year-old had also bought Gucci jewellery, meals at fine restaurants, West End theatre 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 and council auditors were sent in.

McCabe, the 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.