AN AWARD-WINNING businesswoman has been accused of supplying unqualified teachers to schools across North East Lincolnshire with the intent of conning them out of almost £700,000.
The allegations against Nicola Blake, previously known as Keller, are said to have come to light following a police investigation into a man, Darri Poucher.
It is claimed she placed Poucher, 29, as a supply teacher at a school, which cannot be named.
Poucher, 29, of Church Lane, Lincoln, denies charges of meeting or communicating with a teenage girl on at least two occasions, with the intent of committing a sexual offence and one count of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
He also denies two counts of fraudulently claiming to be a qualified teacher.
Blake, now of Bedfordshire, denies ten counts of fraud and five counts of dishonestly obtaining cash from a number of local schools between 2004 and 2011.
It is claimed Blake committed fraud by making false representations the staff she was supplying were qualified teachers.
By doing so, it is claimed she intended to cause losses to the following schools:
Hereford School (now Ormiston Academy) – £349,925.38.
Wintringham School (now Oasis Academy Wintringham) – £72,526.36.
Nunsthorpe Primary School (now Nunsthorpe Academy) – £66,311.50.
Immingham School (now Oasis Academy Immingham) – £28,696.52.
Humberston School (now Humberston Academy) – £25,402.84.
Tollbar School (now Tollbar Academy) – £326.28.
Havelock School (now Havelock Academy) – £22,928
Cambridge Park School – £37,014.
Whitgift School (now John Whitgift Academy) – £1,341.10.
Spalding Grammar School – £17,689.22.
It is also claimed she dishonestly obtained cash from the following schools, again by making false representations the staff she was supplying were qualified teachers:
Immingham School (now Oasis Academy Immingham) – £37,493.32.
Humberston School (now Humberston Academy) – £6,933.12.
Healing School – £177.28.
Cambridge Park School – £2,500.74.
Whitgift School (now John Whitgift Academy) – £177.28.
Mrs Blake set up her Wrawby-based company, Education Resourcing Ltd, in 2003 – going on to supply temporary teaching staff to more than 1,000 schools in Lincolnshire and Peterborough.
In 2011, she was crowned Young Business Person Of The Year in the Lincolnshire Business Awards.
At that point, the firm was turning over £1.5 million a year, providing work for more than 200 people – making it one of Lincolnshire's larger employers.
She was also one of the trio behind plans to transform Grimsby's former St Mary's Roman Catholic High School into the Lighthouse Community School, a free school catering for those who struggle with mainstream education.
Mrs Blake had also launched the Keller Foundation – a scholarship programme helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds become graduates without having to pay tuition fees or run up student loan bills.
The case is due to be committed to Grimsby Crown Court for trial on June 24.
ON THE WEB: Log on to www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk to read more about Blake's previous business ventures and her involvement in the free school plan.
