A FORMER school secretary in New Ross has avoided jail after she pleaded guilty to stealing and defrauding €55,000 from the local CBS Primary School.

The case of Kathleen Wickham, from Southknock, New Ross, went before Thursday’s sitting of Wexford Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Barry Hickson.

The defendant had entered a guilty plea in relation to a number of alleged fraud offences which, the court heard, occurred on various dates between 2003 and 2006.

The defendant had repaid some money between 2008 and October 2011 – at which point proceedings were re-entered. However, on Thursday Judge Hickson heard the defendant had repaid in excess of €14,000 since July 2008 – when she was first convicted in relation to the case.

Judge Hickson was also told on Thursday that the defendant had €35,000 in cash available to the court and that the school wanted to have the matter finalised that day.

It was agreed by the school that the matter be finalised with around €6,000 outstanding.

Judge Hickson said the defendant was lucky not to be going to jail and affirmed a two-year sentence imposed at a previous court sitting. The judge suspended the sentence for five years on the defendant’s undertaking to enter a €500 bond to keep the peace for five years.