A SCHOOL bursar who stole more than £60,000 to pay for his rent, family holidays and two cars has been jailed.

Ronald Bainbridge, 60, cooked the books at The Ravensbourne School in Bromley for six years before his thieving came to light during an audit by Bromley council.

Southwark Crown Court heard that Bainbridge splashed out more than £8,000 on three family holidays between 2000 and 2003, paid a friend £3,200 for a car in August 2003 and put a £2,500 deposit on a Ford Focus at Bristol Street Motors in June 2004.

He also forged cheques totalling £25,000 to pay for the rent on a home he and his wife shared close to the school.

Bainbridge, of Sparkes Close, Bromley, has since paid back £63,715.46p plus a further £19,617 in possible civil liabilities. Judge Price said that was not enough to prevent him from going to prison. He sentenced him to 12 months, half of which will be served on licence.

Speaking after the hearing, the school’s chair of governors, Nick Vincent, said: “His actions were deplorable. You feel let down and I’m satisfied with the sentence he received. Luckily, it didn’t affect the children and the school has improved steadily.”

Bainbridge has suffered a stroke and lost the sight in one eye since he was arrested by police two years ago.

He pleaded guilty to 17 counts of theft in October. He also admitted obtaining a money transfer by deception, obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception and furnishing false information.