Dance troupe theft woman jailed

An administrator who admitted taking thousands of pounds intended for a dance group's trip to America has been jailed for 18 months.

Amanda Williams, 52, took the cash in April from Bobbi's Academy of Dance, that had been intended to pay for teenagers to join a US competition.

Williams of Stoneybeck Close, Swindon, pleaded guilty at the town's crown court to fraud by abuse of position.

The judge said she had "spun a web of deceit and lies".

He described her actions as "awful, shocking and a gross breach of trust" and added that the young people had been "shocked, disappointed and upset".

The cash was meant to allow 14 girls from the academy, which is run by Williams' daughter Bobbie Newman, to go on a 10-day visit to the Dance Excellence competition in Los Angeles in April.

Williams was arrested in Dorset after going missing from her home when the embezzlement was discovered as the group was about to leave.

The troupe finally went to the competition after the dancers, their parents and an anonymous donation paid for the trip.

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